My Sixth Sense
by luna-magic-2005
Summary: I see dead people. Need I say more? InuKag
1. Chapter 1

Standard disclaimer applies.

Summary: I see dead people. Need I say more? InuKag

**My Sixth Sense**

**Chapter One: Anger**

**By: Luna**

I see dead people.

It sounds strange, and people call me crazy, but it's completely true and totally freaky. Believe me, if I could, I'd be as normal and cynical as all the rest of the population. In fact, I would prefer it. It's not as if I _choose_ to see dead people.

It's a good profession though, and it makes me a lot of money, especially when residents of their haunted homes think they have a poltergeist. Now, don't roll your eyes and think, yeah, she's sees dead people when a whole bunch of Benjamin's and Yen are waved in front of her eyes, but it's not as if I'm good for anything else.

I totally bombed high school because some perverted ghost wouldn't leave me alone and half the time I ditched all my classes because of it. I barely even passed, and my scores don't really make business's want to hire me. So I got into the ghost business. I mean hey, I can see them, others can't, and people pay big bucks to get the ghosts out of their home.

Now, most houses I go to don't really have ghosts in there. Normally, they just have shitty houses and think they can explain the state of their homes because a ghost is hanging around, which is why I make them pay me up front. Once I tell them they don't have a ghost, they get pretty angry and try to force me to give back their money. But once they agree to pay for my time, that money's mine.

Believe it or not, but the most houses that actually have ghosts in them don't even know it. When people think of ghosts, they think of sounds heard in shadows and cold presences or even the electric vibes being read off of some hand held machine. What most people don't know is that a lot of the ghosts that I've encountered are perfectly fine staying where they're at, and they don't bother the people living in the houses they haunt. I leave them alone. If they don't bother me, why should I bother them?

Looking back on my one bedroom apartment and my refrigerator that remains mainly empty, I guess I should take on those cases just for the money. But I shrug that off. The only rush I get is when spirits that are stuck in a house want to move on, and are extremely angry that no one else can see them. That's when most of my cases come to me. Owners get scared at the weird occurrences happening in their homes, when in reality it's just a frustrated ghost trying to get their attention. So far, knock on wood, I've yet to encounter a ghost whose soul mission in afterlife is to kill me. Thank God for small miracles, right?

I feel bad for them. I guess that's why I help them. They want to move on, go to heaven, or whatever there is once you die. I haven't really encountered a ghost that was so angry that it attacked me. So I guess you could say that, when Miroku and Sango Ono asked me to get rid of the angry spirit haunting their shrine, I took it with a grain of salt. It would be easy, right?

Wrong.

Okay, so you know I'm not pulling the wool over your eyes, let me tell you what happened. It was the best, and the worst, experience of my life.

--

6:00 am, Saturday.

_The lush plant life surrounded me, the towering oak I stood under shading me from the sun. I smiled and tilted my face up so it was dappled by the sun streaking through the leaves. It was so peaceful here, so lovely. I could stand here forever; simply stand here and breathe in the peace. I have never felt so safe._

_I heard foot steps behind me, and I let my hand slide off the bark of the tree as I turned, still smiling, at my visitor. He wore red pants and a loose white shirt, but I could tell he was strong by the breadth of his shoulders and chest. His long, flowing white hair suggested that of an old man, but his features were young, rough, and ruggedly handsome. He stared at me for long moments, his golden eyes indecipherable. He opened his mouth to speak, and I closed my eyes in anticipation as to what he'd say._

"_Your phone is ringing."_

_I blinked my eyes open. "What?"_

"Kagome! I know you're there, so pick up your damn phone! I'm gonna keep on calling and leaving these annoying messages until you pick up! La-la-la-la! You slu—"

"What the hell do you want?" I croaked out, staring at my alarm clock with gritty eyes. I blinked twice, but the red numbers still stared back at me. I felt annoyance build up, and I gritted my teeth as I hefted myself up out of my warm covers.

"Kagome! It's about time you woke up. Do you know how many times I've called?" Souta, my little brother, practically sang.

I looked at the answering machine, and it blinked the number four at me. Rolling my eyes, I swung my legs over the side of bed and rooted around my dresser for my underwear. "Who cares how many times you called. Why are you calling so early? Shouldn't you be getting ready for school?"

I could practically see him rolling his eyes. "Don't be such a bore. I got a call last night from some guy named Miroku. He and his wife just paid grandpa for the first month of rent."

I paused, anger and something else rolling around in my stomach. It's true that I'm not religious or anything despite my family's history of owning the local shrine, but I would never defile it by having the audacity to rent it out to strangers, even if the husband claimed to be a holy man.

I've never actually visited the shrine before, since I was generally scared out of my mind to come anywhere near where dead people might be staying at. My mother never knew why her baby girl had an aversion to shrines or churches, but she'd just take me to a doctor again and have them poke and prod at me. Eventually, I learned to pretend they weren't really there, even though as a child, I couldn't understand why people would approach me, people that nobody else could see.

But didn't it feel wrong to rent out a family shrine to a stranger?

"Get to the point, please."

"You really should learn to be a morning person."

When all I did was growl, he laughed a little nervously and said, "Look, I know you're not going to like it, but Miroku – the guy who's living there now if you've forgotten – claims that there's a ghost there. He's heard about you and, well, he wants to hire you to get rid of it. He'll pay a really big sum!" Souta rattled off an extremely good looking amount, and I swallowed hard.

I hesitated, wondering if I should take it. I really needed the money. But my aversion to shrines and churches stayed with me past my childhood. Even today, if I ever went close to a church with a graveyard attached to it, the chills I'd feel would stay with me for days. I hated going, the spirits of the dead there frightening me. Should I feel guilty for only helping ghosts that were attached to houses? Maybe I should go to churches to help the disgruntled dead there, but the amount of spirits that must be there are overwhelming. I'll leave those for others to help.

"Lots of money, beautiful money, pays the rent money…" Souta continued to croon in my ear. I rolled my eyes but didn't interrupt. I needed him to convince me. "As far as I know, no one has died at grandpa's shrine. Maybe they're a bunch of phonies who are trying to find excuses to have grandpa lower the rent. Just think, you'd be helping Pop's out."

Sighing, I gave up searching for clean underwear and trudged towards the bathroom. "Alright. I'll do it. Tell them I'll be by today sometime and to leave that impressive amount with Mom. But if they don't pay, I won't do it."

I slammed the phone down and stepped into the shower.

--

My friend Reika stared at me with disgusted fascination as I shoved another chocolate donut in my mouth. I was still suffering the effects of waking up too early, and I needed sugar. "Khan you phleese fass the bilk?"

Without a word she passed me a milk carton and watched as I chugged it down. Sitting back, I sighed and patted my belly. Glancing at Reika, I grinned. "Don't be jealous. Not everyone can eat everything and still look as good as me."

As Reika rolled her eyes, I still couldn't let my vanity go as I thought about my features. I wasn't ugly. In fact, a lot of people call me very beautiful with my curvy, fit body and my long black hair. Not all Japanese had blue eyes, and mine were real. I didn't need contacts to make them the way they are. Despite my good looks, only Reika knew why I didn't have a man. Once they found out my profession and realized I wasn't joking when I told them I see dead people, they generally keep a wide berth of me.

"Hey, I'm just as pretty as you Kagome. I just need to work for it." She sipped her coffee and eyed me. "Didn't you say you had a job this morning?"

"They woke me up at six o'clock in the friggin' morning. They can wait." I stared at the last donut and wondered if I should eat it too. I wasn't exactly hungry anymore after my first three, but it seemed so wrong to let it go to waste…

Reika laughed this time when I started on the donut, and took another bite of her eggs. "Seriously, girl, I don't understand how you can eat all that. But listen, unlike you I actually have a specific time I have to go to work, so I'll see you later, okay?"

She put down a few bills and stood. I frowned up at her, a little put out that my reason for staying away from the shrine was leaving. "You're a model. How can you have a clock-in time?"

Reika hit the back of my head. "Dunce, don't make fun of modeling. It's a lot harder than you make it out to be. Besides, my boss wouldn't survive if I didn't show up to direct everyone."

"Then maybe you should ask for a raise."

"Maybe I should." She said lightly. "Quit stalling, babe. You need to face your fear sooner or later."

I watched as she waved before heading down the street, and envied her grace. Yes, Reika was so much more than just a model. She was so graceful and delicately lovely. I wished I was more like her. I was rougher and obviously lacked her refinement. Where she barely ate even half of her eggs (probably because she was in public), I scarffed down four donuts in less than thirty minutes.

Sighing, I stood and shoved my hands in my long black coat, tapping my booted foot against the concrete a moment before I turned around and started towards my grandpa's shrine. I ignored the looks of men when they caught sight of my short black skirt and tight white shirt underneath my coat. I wanted to look the part of a creepy ghost girl. Shouldn't creepy ghost girls where dark eyeliner and dress two parts slutty and one part Goth? Really, it should shame me how I dressed like this to get whatever God my grandfather's shrine worshipped to be mad at me. If I dressed even worse, maybe Their great hand would come out of the heavens and swat me out. Then I wouldn't have to go!

I looked up the stairs that seemed to go on for eternity before I lifted my foot and took the first step.

Nothing happened.

It was only then that I realized that I had clenched my eyes tightly shut. Taking another step, I slowly opened my eyes. The wind was slightly blowing against my face, and the atmosphere seemed pretty peaceful, almost like in my dream. Relaxing, I realized that these new people probably were trying to swindle my grandfather to a lower rent. Thank god. Maybe my fear was unfounded.

When I reached the top of the stairs, however, I was struck by a sudden fear. For before me, instead of the peaceful scenery of a shrine, I saw blood. I know my own blood must have drained from my face, for suddenly I felt myself weaving back and forth and my face felt clammy.

It looked like a battle had raged here, for broken arrows were strung across the courtyard along with other type of wicked weapons. I heard yelling and I looked further beyond, and above the houses I saw a huge tree looming against the darkened sky.

"Ms. Higurashi?"

Dazedly, I looked at the man that was suddenly standing beside me, a concerned look on his face. He was quite attractive with dark brown hair pulled back in a small ponytail and warm violet eyes. I probably wouldn't have minded the hand he placed on my lower back to steady me if his equally attractive wife wasn't staring daggers at me. I looked back towards the tree, and realized that it wasn't that dark as it was still only mid morning. There was no blood on the ground and weapons weren't strewn across everywhere.

I started to step towards the tree, away from the man, probably Miroku, if his voice hadn't stopped me.

"Um, I don't know how I should go about this. Do you want a tour of the buildings first? Or you probably know them already, don't you?"

"No," I said, my eyes still on that tree set against the sky. "I've been too frightened to come here."

The silence in the back ground made me think I said something wrong, but I shrugged it off. Let them be scared, I don't care. Now they probably thought grandpa sold them a haunted shrine. More money for me. "Where do you think this ghost bothered you the most?"

"The living area, I suppose, where we spend the most time. Things were thrown off the desk, pictures off the wall… I need to know what's going on." He sounded genuinely concerned, so I turned my undivided attention towards him.

"Alright. Why don't you show me around the grounds? Take me to that tree last." I pointed towards the tree.

"Ah, the God tree. Yes, I'll show you to that last."

His wife stepped forward, concern on her face. "Did you see something when you first came up the stairs? I saw you from the porch. You turned white so suddenly I thought you were going to faint."

"I don't know what I saw." I muttered to myself. I turned to the woman. "Are you Sango?"

At her nod, I narrowed my eyes a little and thought back to what little history I knew about the place. "Was there ever a battle here? I don't care how long ago; just tell me something about the history of this place."

"You don't know?" she looked surprised. "I thought this was your family's land."

I don't have to explain to her. "So there was a battle?"

"Well…" she tapped her chin with a slim finger. "I've only heard tales from your grandfather, and no offense, they sounded a little loony."

Since they hired a woman who claims to see dead people, I gave her a dry look. At least she had the grace to blush. "Well, he said that demons once lived on this land and that they fought a lot, but that's about it."

We spent the next hour going through all the different structures on the property; the archives building, the laundry room, a room built around an old well, and finally, I saw the God tree. "I don't see any ghosts or anything. Why exactly did you hire me?"

Miroku looked frustrated. "I know there's someone here. They won't stop leaving us alone! The only peace we get is when we go to sleep. The moment we wake up, it's at it again. I don't even want to bring in the rest of my property in fear that it's going to destroy it all! I just want to know if there is a ghost here or not. That's all."

I doubted that. People hired me when they wanted the ghost gone, not whether or not a ghost was really here. I ignored them for a moment and stepped closer to the God tree. It was covered thick in vines, the bark I saw in my dreams unable to be seen. An arrow was stuck out from the tree, and when I got close enough, a chill ran down my spine when I realized it was old and rotting, just like the ones I saw in my weird vision. Frankly, I was creeped out. I see dead people, not visions. This project was different, and I didn't know whether I should be regretting accepting it or not.

"What's with the arrow?" I asked, wondering whether or not I should risk touching it.

At the silence, I looked back at them. Confusion was written across their faces. Miroku looked concerned, and Sango had confusion and skepticism written all over her face. So she thought I was a fake. I raised a brow. "Um, excuse me? What's with the arrow?"

"I don't see an arrow, Higurashi-san." They said it as if they were talking to a crazy person.

I heard growling, and the chill that wouldn't go away turned into icy pinpricks along my spine to the point of pain. I didn't look away from their faces, scared to look behind me. They must have seen the fear on my face, for now even Sango looked concerned. "Do you have a dog?" I was ashamed my voice squeaked.

"No. Why?"

Something landed hard behind me, and I swear I jumped two feet in the air and swiveled on my heel to face what's behind me. I fell in shock on my rump. It was the man from my dream. His hair was white as snow and blowing in the wind, his muscular form bunched up as he crouched, almost like a dog, his rugged face twisted into a snarl of hatred, his golden eyes narrowed in rage.

I faintly heard Miroku call my name, and his hand on my shoulder, but I couldn't really see or feel him. "W-who are you?"

What I didn't notice before were cute little doggie ears on top of his head in place of regular human ears, and I vaguely remembered Sango saying something about demons. I backed up slowly in a crab walk, my eyes never leaving his. Never before had I faced something with so much hatred for me. And why? I felt myself bump into Miroku's legs, and I forced myself to stop my retreat.

The demon lunged at me suddenly, and I screamed and back tracked so fast my head was spinning. "You have a ghost! Congratulations!" I yelled over my shoulder, but I didn't look back. When I tripped going up the stairs, I twisted so I landed on my back and my breasts weren't smashed against the floor boards.

The demon I saw had stopped just short of Miroku, and I saw both live humans looked a little lost. "You're not going to get rid of it?" Sango sounded disgruntled.

"Hey, your man just said that all he wanted to know was whether or not you actually had a ghost and guess what? You have one. In fact, he's standing right next to Miroku there," I kept my eyes on him, watching as arrogance and a sort of pride wash over his features, as if he were proud that he frightened me. I narrowed my eyes at his smirk. "What are you laughing at, dog boy?"

Oops, probably not a good thing to do. His ears flattened to the back of his head and his eyes narrowed again. I saw Miroku step carefully away and saw him glancing in the direction the ghost was at. "Look, Miroku, you're going to have to stay at a hotel for a while. I need to do research about this place."

"You're kicking us out?" Sango sounded outraged, and I glared at her in frustration.

"You hired me didn't you? Quit complaining and do what I say! I've never encountered someone like this! I can't just go into it blind folded." I looked back to where the dog boy was at, only to come face to face with his angry eyes, and a smirk that had very nice canines only inches from my face.

The last thing I remembered was screaming.

-------------------------------

What do you think?

Luna


	2. Chapter 2

Standard disclaimer applies.

Thanks for all the reviews! They really bolstered me up to write another chapter!

**My Sixth Sense**

**Chapter Two: Dorothy**

**By: Luna**

* * *

****

I glanced warily around the small bedroom I was in, only crawling out of the warm bed when I was assured there was no lurking demon out to growl at me. He wouldn't really be able to hurt me, right? I've never been involved with a ghost that wanted to do me harm before, so I had no real knowledge on whether or not he could. Sighing, I looked around the room, touched by the thoughtful gesture when I saw a pair of house slippers by the door with a little note attached to it.

-

_I had Miroku bring you here. I tried calling your family but no one seemed to be there, so I hope you do not mind these modest accommodations._

_Sango_

_-_

I slipped the shoes on and crept outside, following the signs of low voices. The grounds were actually quite nice, and the main house, which I assumed I was in, was obviously well cared for. I know Grandpa dearly loved this place, and it only occurred to me now that he might have hated having to rent out a home he could no longer keep up by himself. Souta never got into it, my mother obviously never became a shrine priestess, and I was out of the question. Poor Papa.

-

"Is there really a ghost here, Miroku? I was a little skeptical at first…" Sango murmured, and I heard the clicking of glass. They must be drinking tea. "But what happened out there really scared me. Higurashi-san looked so... well, she looked scared out of her mind and I couldn't even see what she was looking at. And what arrow is she talking about?"

-

Miroku's voice was calm, soothing his fretting wife. "I don't know. Are you still set on staying here while Higurashi-san continues her investigation? I'm sure she isn't going to like that. And if we want to be technical, this is her families land. She has the right to kick us off she really wanted to."

-

Oh. I didn't realize that I could do that.

-

"Yes... this is our home now. I don't want to leave after just getting here." The frustration in her voice was reasonable, I suppose, but something about her just rubbed me the wrong way. It wasn't her personally. There was just something that seemed to be floating around her that I just couldn't see but felt vaguely familiar…

-

"Do you think she woke up yet?"

-

I froze. If I knocked on the door now, they'd know that I was eavesdropping. I started edging away when I saw a flash of white out of the corner of my eye. Stopping, I saw that demon ghost staring at me. He was leaning up against the far wall with his arms crossed, one ankle pressed against the wall behind him. I couldn't sense or see the hostility he had for me before, and I wondered at it. He was simply standing there, contemplating me.

-

Cocking my head to the side, I took a few steps towards him, watching as those cute little ears twitched. I stopped a few feet away, enough to where the voices of Sango and Miroku couldn't be heard anymore. Slowly, I studied his features inch by inch, taking in everything about him. I blinked at the red spot over his heart, barely noticeable against the red of his shirt. His was wearing a red haori, so I didn't beat myself up for not noticing it before. What had happened to him, stabbed in the heart? Is that how he died? If that was the case, I didn't blame him for feeling bitter.

-

"What's you're name?" I asked, careful to make my voice even.

-

He narrowed his eyes, and I saw him stiffen. "As if _you_ don't know, Kikyo."

-

Oh, great. Not only did I have a violent ghost, I had a delusional one as well. I frowned up at him, propping one hand on my hip. "I don't know what world you're from, but my name's not Kikyo. It's Kagome. Now that we got that out of the way, what's you're name?"

-

His ears twitched again, and his eyes narrowed as he came off the wall, standing strong and tall. I wasn't too intimidated, I suppose. He wasn't that much taller than me. It was just when he started growling and making threatening gestures that I got freaked out. "You should leave while I'm in a good mood, wench."

-

Since he didn't seem in the mood to kill me yet, I ignored what he said and felt bold enough to ask, "So what _are_ you? I've never seen such cute little ears in my life."

-

His ears flattened to the back of his head, and he started growling at me again. "Stop pretending, bitch! You know what you did to me!"

-

Okay, enough of this. I can handle murderous tendencies in the dead; they _were_ dead, after all. But if I didn't let the living call me names, I damn well wasn't going to let the dead!

-

Baring my teeth at him in much the same way he was at me, I clenched my teeth together and my hands ram rod straight at my sides. "Listen here, dog-breath. My name is Kagome! Use it! It's not bitch, it's not wench, and it's certainly not Kikyo!"

-

"It's whatever I saw it is, bitch, so get used to it!" he raised his hand as if to strike me, and in my anger I put my arms out and shoved against his chest.

-

And went right through it.

-

My palms slammed on the wall he had been leaning on, and I felt cold. So, so cold. I froze, looking slightly over my shoulder, and realized that I was literally standing in his ghostly body. I didn't like it. It felt like ice moving along with my blood stream, to my fingers and down to my toes. I felt, just for a moment, _him_, and it scared me what I saw. Then I saw a woman in priestesses clothing that looked eerily like me, except her hair was sleek and straight while mine tended to curl and wave and she walked towards me with the envious grace that Reika had, except she had a bow and arrow in her hands. I felt shock, betrayal, love, and worst of all, I felt hate.

-

Black, black hate.

-

Goose pimples rose across my arms and the back of my neck, and I jerked away as fast as I could and hugged myself, nearly convulsing as I bowled over, tears coming to my eyes. I looked up at him with watery eyes, saw his surprise and confusion, and I cried for him. "Is this what you feel?"

-

Slowly, he lowered the hand he intended to strike me with, helpless rage and frustration playing across his handsome face. Without a word, he turned on his heel and disappeared into the wall. I collapsed on the floor and desperately tried to warm myself, what I saw hurting my heart.

-

He had been in love with his murderer. The murderer that looked like me and shot a bow into his heart. I don't know how it happened or the history behind it, but I cried for him anyways. This was going to be harder than I thought.

-

Why was this so different from all my other ghost hunting expeditions? I never had dreams where I dreamt of _them_; I never had visions of the past; and I never had a ghost who, if he could, would kill me with no remorse. I wasn't just dealing with a ghost. I wasn't even just dealing with a _demon_-ghost. I think… I don't even know what I think. But I have an inkling that things won't go according to plan this time.

-

The energy surrounding this shrine was killing me inside, and I now knew why I never came here with the family. Why I hurt my mother when I refused to live with her while she stayed in this house, opting instead to burden my friends. I think more than death circled here. Maybe it was magic or maybe my earlier reasoning about dressing the part of the freaky ghost girl were true and the Gods were punishing me for stepping foot in a place of worship.

-

Or maybe I'm just cursed. It _would_ explain the whole ghost thing.

-

"Higurashi-san? Did you see it again?" Sango asked behind me, and I only vaguely heard her. How long have they been standing there? I lost sight of my surroundings the minute I saw him.

-

I shuddered once more and stood, still hugging myself as if I could melt the ice running through my veins. God, he was so cold...

-

"It's a he. A him. And don't call my grandpa loony again, because he's a demon, too." I turned to face them, and I wondered how I looked because Sango suddenly gasped and ran back into their little sitting room, and then ran back out with a blanket and a box of tissue.

-

She wrapped the blanket around me and pressed a tissue under my nose. "Look up." She ordered sternly, and her commanding voice made me automatically obey.

-

"Do I have a nosebleed?" I asked, surprised. I took the tissue and continued looking up as she told me, looking at her past the tears I still had in my eyes. I blinked them away quickly.

-

"Yes. What happened? I'm sorry I didn't believe you before but now... what does he look like?" If she thought I was having a nosebleed for a different reason, I'm gonna bop her upside her pretty little head!

-

Her eyes were so serious, so I couldn't help but laugh. "Beautiful. He's really, really beautiful." _He's_ probably listening, but I didn't care. Maybe if I juiced his vanity he'd be nicer to me. "He has this beautiful head of white hair – and I think it's natural, and these sharp golden eyes. He died strong. I'm sure he's corded with muscle, even though I haven't seen him out of his red outfit, and he has the most adorable ears."

-

"Ears?" Sango asked, confused. Miroku came up behind her balancing three cups of tea on a tray. She gratefully took two and passed one on to me.

-

I checked to make sure my nose bleed stopped before I lowered the tissue to take a sip of tea. "Yeah. Like a little puppy dog. But he's _so_ mean. Very violent. Someone betrayed him and shot him through the heart, and he's very bitter about it. Murderous, in fact. I think he wants to kill me."

-

I had been contemplating my watery reflection in the tea when the silence got to me. I looked up with an inquiring expression on my face, laughed a little when I was met with their expressions. They had a mix of horror and belated shock. I gave them a reassuring smile and patted Sango's hand. "Oh, it's okay. I don't think he's able to."

-

Miroku sputtered a bit. "That's not the point, Kagome-san! If this guy is dangerous you should leave!"

-

I waved that off, a little breezily now that the feeling of death was fading. "I can take it. Anyways, I do have a question. You said things were flying off the wall when you first got here, right?"

-

"Yes." Sango said, tapping her index finger against her chin in thought. "Mainly pictures of my little brother and my father. It hurt thinking that it wanted to destroy precious memories of mine."

-

"Hmm. Well, I don't think it's my demon-guy. If he couldn't touch me, it stands to reason that he can't touch material items." My brow furrowed. "This makes me wonder if he's a ghost at all. And you might have another ghost here that doesn't want me to know about it."

-

"Uh, say that again?" Miroku asked, smiling a little in confusion.

-

I sighed and sat, exactly where I was in the hallway and watched them to the same, much more slowly. "There's something different about this whole thing. My dreams, the visions, the fact that the only thing he seems to be able to do is scare the shit out of me, suggests that he's perhaps a different sort of spirit. I just have to figure out what."

-

I realized what I said and winced guiltily. "Sorry, I've been trying not to swear. But that dog-boy has a potty mouth and it made me forget."

-

Miroku smiled easily and adjusted his legs underneath him. "It's no trouble, Higurashi-san. Most people don't even bother, and it humbles me you show respect, in your own way."

-

"Um, right." I said, setting my drink down on the floor. "But I think I'm going to have to go now. I need to do some research about this place. Thank you for your hospitality, and I'm sorry I'm leaving you like this, but I can't wait to get started." I have them a huge grin excitement finally bubbling up inside me. "Isn't having a ghost exciting!?"

-

With a short salute, I left them and practically ran off of the shrine's grounds, thankful when my shoulders suddenly felt lighter, as if that oppressive feeling was being held at bay. I went to my apartment first and changed out of my outfit. I didn't normally dress like that, and I wasn't about to wear that when I went to visit my grandpa. After a short stop to the store to pick up his favorite sweets, I took off to my mom's house where he was staying, preparing myself for a long night.

-

Now that my initial fear was fading, euphoria was filling me, making me light headed. I almost felt like Dorothy in that American movie of Oz, and I got strange looks as I grinned wildly, running down the street with my arms full of sweets.

-

Visions, and demons, and ghosts, oh my!

-

///---///

See you next time!

Luna


	3. Chapter 3

Standard disclaimer applies. I don't own almost any product, line, or book, or manga. I own a car, and that's about it.

Special thanks to: lullaby12, lorryka, NYC Utopia, sugarsweet pie, MissRule, ixchen, angelXofXpeace, sakurawolfblossom.

You're the best!

A/N: All the references I'm about to make of "Demonology" and "Demons" I got from Wikipedia, so I also take no credit for those.

**My Sixth Sense**

**Chapter Three: Family Ties**

**By: Luna**

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"So," I said, slapping my hands down on the kitchen table. I waited patiently as my Grandpa happily shoveled more sweets in his mouth. Vaguely, I thought that this is what Reika must have felt like when she watched me eat my donuts. Disturbingly fascinating. "Can you please tell me the history of the shrine, Grandpa?"

Amazingly, he stopped eating and stared at me with an open mouth. He swallowed quickly before saying, "What?" in an incredulous voice.

I didn't blame him. The whole family knows of my aversion to the shrine and all things holy, and knew about my job. Granted, only Souta and Grandpa really believed me about the whole ghost thing, so I was kind of proud of myself that I managed to shock him. Nowadays nothing I did shocked Grandpa, and I wasn't sure if that was a good thing.

"Yes, it's history. I'm doing a job there and let me tell you, that place has something weird going on. Have you ever been bothered by things you can't explain?" Okay, judging by his expression, I should slow down. I know he was shocked by my sudden interest and the fact that I actually stepped foot on holy ground, but I didn't think I'd shock him speechless.

As he processed my questions, I popped a piece of candy in my mouth before sitting on my hands, and not because I was nervous— because I wasn't. I'm just glad I changed into my favorite sweater; mom's house was always cold. I looked around and studied all the family pictures she had decorating the walls and a few of the tables, glad that there were pictures of me on there too. I know I disappoint her with my line of work and that I don't go on a lot of family outings because of it, but at least she isn't trying to forget about me.

"Are you listening?"

"You were speaking?" I blinked at Grandpa before giving him a guilty smile. "Sorry. What was it you said?"

"There is a lot of mystery surrounding our shrine. But I've never specifically been bothered by any spirits. Really, Kagome, do you think there are any ghosts _there_?" I was a little angry and maybe just a tad bit hurt at the dry, almost patronizing tone of voice he was speaking with, but wasn't really given a chance to argue. "They say that over five hundred years ago – before the shrine was built, the world was in a war against demons."

My skin prickled deliciously, and I leaned forward in interest. This was probably where Sango thought that Grandpa went loony.

"Everyone knows that humans think they are the dominant species, and those different than everybody else are feared by people who think they are 'normal'." Grandpa trailed off here and started rummaging through the boxes of sweets laid out before him. I relaxed, because I knew once I got him started he'd never shut up. "Demons were one of those who were different, and for obvious reasons."

He found a box of Peeps and sighed in contentment since they were his favorite candy. I personally didn't like them since they were basically nothing but sugar, so I declined his generous offer to take one. "They were stronger than us. Faster than us. They could smell and see and hear things that we could only dream of. Some were smarter, some were meaner. Surely there were those that were cruel. Some even looked different – and I mean A LOT different." He trailed off as he started eating more Peeps.

At my prompting he started up again. "What I mean is, scales instead of skin, red or gold or even purple eyes instead of the usual human colors." I got a flash back of my ghosts' golden eyes and shivered in anticipation. Suddenly Grandpa squealed and dug into his pile of treasures. "Oooh, Gummy Worms!"

"Focus, Grandpa, focus!" I snapped my fingers a few times and grumbled as he ignored me.

"Anyways," he continued, smiling. "Humans back then couldn't stand the sight of them. Now I won't deny that there were others who liked them just fine; many of them having half-breed babies; demons that looked like humans but with distinct differences."

"Like animal ears, claws, and golden eyes?" I hazarded a guess, and was rewarded with Grandpa's surprised stare.

"Why, yes. Kind of sad, if you really think about it. Humans didn't want anything to do with them since they were part demon, and demons didn't want anything to do with them since they were part human. They were the outsiders, the unwanted. And sometimes, they were the human's secret weapon when the two sides waged war against the other."

"They fought?" Arrows, blood, and weapons scattered among the court yard of the shrine. I shivered. "Like in a battle?"

"What other kind of war is there?" Grandpa asked, eating as much candy as he could since he knew once Mom came home it wouldn't be allowed.

I remembered in my vision a priestess that looked eerily like myself, and asked, "What about priestesses? Did they play any part in war?"

He gave me another surprised, admiring glance. "Yes, they did. Priestesses held the power to purify demons."

At my blank stare, he clarified. "Every living person has a dark side and a light side. No one is completely pure. Well, no one that I know anyways. And we can't live without the dark side of us. Priestesses would purify the demons dark side, effectively killing them off. They were one of the greatest fighters in war. Used arrows, I think. Right through the heart. Some even knew enchantment spells. Very tricky women, those priestesses, and I don't think all of them were very good people. I'm sure they killed even innocent demons just because they _were_ demons."

I shivered at what he said, and once again I saw myself – _no_, the priestess – knocking that arrow and shooting it at Inuyasha.

Suddenly, I choked on a Gummy. Inuyasha? How did I know that name? But I knew without a doubt that my demon-ghosts' name was Inuyasha. If grandpa could be believed, he was a half demon. Right? Frowning, I asked him, "But couldn't full fledged demons look similar to humans, too? I'm sure not all them were ugly beasts."

Grandpa chuckled a little and started gathering up all his candy, probably to put it in his secret stash. "Demons weren't always ugly. In fact, I've read that they can be very beautiful, enchanting creatures with beauty that surpassed even the most beautiful human man or woman – and some could live for over a _thousand_ years. If you want my opinion, humans were just jealous, that's why they wanted them gone."

"So who won?"

He gave me a dry look. "Who do you think? You don't see any demons buying slurpies at the Quickie Mart, do you?"

I blinked, surprised. "Um, I guess not."

If I didn't know better I'd say Grandpa didn't like the demons either. I was a little disappointed, though. Despite other people's prejudices, the thought of demons fascinated me. What if there were demons living among us? What if they were just hiding in plain sight? I sighed longingly. If only it were true.

"So I guess you'd call me crazy if I said the ghost at the shrine is a dead demon." I propped my head in my hands, a little bored now. Now that I got grandpa's intake, I wanted to dig through the record room at the shrine. Maybe I should go to the library and read up on demons?

Suddenly, Grandpa stood, his precious Peeps jumping along the table, scattering glittery pink sugar across the table. "What?! You must let me help you exorcise it!"

"No way." I said flatly, idly twirling a strand of my hair while at the same time surreptitiously checking my watch. "I'm the ghost buster here, not you. I handle my jobs my own way. No offense, Gramps, but I don't need you waving around incense and chanting while I try to work."

He sat down slowly, grumbling. He pouted at me, trying to give me a guilt trip. "You have no respect for me, do you?"

Rolling my eyes, I stood. "Sure I do. But I still don't need you aggravating my ghost any more than he already is. Better hide those quick; I think I hear Mom coming home."

I didn't manage to sneak out before she and Souta came in with arms full of groceries. I blame it on Grandpa since I helped him hide his candy first. I was a little fearful of my moms reaction since I haven't seen her is so long; not since we got into an argument about my profession. I was relieved when I saw first surprise, then happiness and maybe just a bit of relief when she saw me.

"Kagome-dear! How nice of you to stop by! You're staying for dinner, right?" She set the groceries on the table and frowned when she saw the pink sugar on the table. "Dad, did you…?"

"I'd love to stay for dinner!" I quickly interrupted. Besides saving Grandpa, I don't have enough food in my fridge to make a meal, and moms' cooking was always better than take out.

"That's great, dear. Can you please help Souta bring in the rest of the groceries? I'll get started on dinner." When she turned her back Grandpa swiped the sugar into his hand, then stealthily went over to the sink and started to wash his hands. Mom had turned around with a wet wash cloth and frowned in confusion when the pink sugar was gone. She washed it anyways.

With a wink at Gramps, I followed Souta out. The sun was just setting and cast a serene feeling on Mom's front yard, and I smiled a bit before elbowing Souta. "You owe me something?"

Souta dug in his back pocket and pulled out an envelope. I counted every penny before I gave him back his share. Mom would probably kill me, but Souta was like my… book keeper, and he kept track of all my money and collected it from my clients for me, as well as finding the people who wanted the job done. I guess I'm just weird in not wanting the people I work for see where I live, but at least Souta gets a weekly allowance because of it. Okay, maybe once-in-a-blue-moon allowance, but he still gets money. Mom never gave us allowance since she said that if we ever wanted money we'd have to work for it.

Shoving the money in my pocket, I grabbed one of the last two bags before following Souta slowly back inside. "So how's it going work wise? Have you found their ghost?" he asked.

"Yeah. Sorry, but I don't want to tell you everything yet until I figure it out. But I will say that this is the most interesting job I've ever been on. I need to look up the history of the shrine and the people who founded it, any or all of the priestesses that died… I gotta go deep this time." I opened the door and let Souta go first. He had the heavier bag and I was feeling nice.

Souta whistled, his brows shooting high. "You're serious about this one. Must be something big. I'll look on the internet and tell you if I find anything."

"Thanks."

The rest of the evening I played charades and watched movies, glad that Mom hasn't tried to bring up my job again. I know she doesn't believe me when I say I see dead people, and it causes stress between us. Instead of going home, I stayed in my old room, bare except the pink bedspread and vanity mirror. I never did spend much time here, did I? I didn't bother thinking about it, however, and merely curled up in bed and fell instantly into sleep.

///--///

I grumbled a little as I found myself once again rummaging around my room for clean clothes. Maybe it was time to actually do laundry now that I'm on speaking terms with Mom again. I'll just sneak in while she's cleaning and _accidentally_ add my laundry in with hers, Souta's, and Grandpa's. She'd never know.

Finally I found a stretchy white tee and some blue jeans. The library was a very big building with tons of books and once had more nice ghosts that really helped me out during high school. When I was still in school and seriously failing my classes, I'd come here and the dead librarians that just couldn't let go of life would help me with my studies. They passed on to the other life just recently, without my help, so this time at least I'd have to do some hard reading by myself.

I passed through the doors breezily and headed towards the back, completely ignoring the good looking guy who was obviously checking me out. I liked guys, no doubt about it, but I'm not ashamed of what I do. And since guys don't like dating girls who claim they see dead people, I've learned to ignore the looks I get.

I found the Demonology section and picked out five or six books before I headed up front again and chose a table. This stuff was so interesting! How could humans ever want to get rid of people so amazing like demons? We could've used their kind of strength in our modern world. Reading, I crinkled my brow a bit at the definition of Demonology.

_Demonology is the branch of __theology__ relating to __superhuman__ beings who are not __gods__. It deals both with benevolent beings that have no circle of worshippers or so limited a circle as to be below the rank of gods, and with malevolent beings of all kinds. It may be noted that the original sense of "demon," from the time of __Homer__ onward, was a benevolent being; but in English the name now connotes malevolence. Demons, when they are regarded as __spirits__, may belong to either of the classes of spirits recognized by primitive __animism__, that is to say, they may be human, or non-human, separable souls, or discarnate spirits which have never inhabited a body._

Have never inhabited a body? Well, I don't necessarily think that's true. Every kind of soul has to inhabit a body at some point of time, of that I was sure of. But the rest of the page just seemed like pure bull. Who are – or _what_ are – Inuit's? And what does it mean about Korea having different kind of "spirits"? Babylon, Egypt? And who the hell was Porphyry? I slammed the book shut and reached for another one.

The other book stated that Demonology was just another version of witch craft that the Roman Catholic Church once (who knows, maybe still) felt very threatened about. Others think that demons are just fallen angels. Everyone knows I'm not religious, and I claim no knowledge of any church – least of all a _Catholic_ church, but I didn't quite believe in witch craft. Maybe what they called witchcraft was just a demon showing off his or her awesome strength. And though Inuyasha may have gorgeous, god-like looks, I doubt he was ever an angel. More like the devil incarnate. Another one says that to "demonize" a person means to characterize or portray them as evil, or as the source of evil. Even though Inuyasha was totally mean and would have probably killed me if he could have, I didn't view him as the source of all evil. I sighed and sat back, glaring at the text books in front of me. It was their fault I wasn't getting anywhere.

Someone sat across from me, and I switched my glare from the book to the stranger, surprised when I saw it was the good looking guy that had been checking me out. He leaned forward to see what books I was looking at, his brows shooting up in surprise. "Demons? Not everybody is interested in _them_." His voice was gruff and arrogant sounding, and it increased my irritation. This guy totally doesn't know when to approach a woman.

"So? I'm not everybody." I said, crossing my arms and giving my bitchiest stare. _That_ would show him, because I am so not in the mood for this.

It didn't seem to affect him, the jerk. "That's right. You're you."

Was that a pick up line? I stared at him incredulously before I laughed, finally starting to relax. Making fun of others always cheered me up when I thought dumb thoughts about myself. "Who are you supposed to be, anyways? Casanova?"

"No, he'd been fuller of himself than I'd ever be." He said, smirking a little. For some reason, it (and the cutie) reminded me of Inuyasha's except it wasn't sinister and this guy hasnt tried to kill me yet. And unfortunately, this guy was very much alive and be capable of it.

I raised my eyebrow a little and tried to push my morbid thoughts away. "You say that as if you knew him."

He shrugged, still smirking. "What can I say? I see dead people."

I gave him a wide stare. "You too?"

Seeing him shift uncomfortably was satisfying, and I inwardly laughed. "Um, yeah. So what's you're name?"

"Kagome. Yours?"

"Kouga. I'm a librarian here."

Well, I guess there are stranger things than a non geeky looking guy working at a library. Like, me, for example. I rolled my eyes. Yeah right. "Give me a break. You are not a librarian for real, are you?"

He laughed, and I liked the sound of it. "Not really. I'm only covering for a friend. So tell me… do you think demons are out there? I mean, I guess there are stranger things. People believe in UFOs, so why not demons?"

"Well, I don't think _you're_ thinking of the type of demons _I'm_ thinking of." I said, smiling a little. "But I truly think demons existed. And not the type of crap this book is saying either. I mean real life demons. They can look like us, only they're stronger, faster, and I'm told way better looking than us."

Kouga huffed a little and pushed out his chest. "Like me?"

"Don't get too cocky, page boy." I said dryly. And just for good measure I added, "I'm sure they're _much_ better looking than you." Like Inuyasha. He was the most beautiful thing I ever saw. Too bad he's dead.

He seemed to deflate a little and stared at me with a strange look in his eyes before laughing a little. "Yeah, I'm sure. Why are you so interested?"

"Well…" I drawled out, contemplating whether or not I should say anything to a stranger – no matter _how_ good looking he is. "My grandfather is the keeper of the Higurashi Shrine, a Shinto shrine near here. I snuck into his records room and read some really interesting history about the place." Actually, that wasnt a bad idea. I'll do that first thing tomorrow morning. I eyed the cutie before giving a little shrug. Okay, here, I was about to stretch things. "About a priestess named Kikyo and a half-demon named Inuyasha…" I trailed off when I noticed the tight expression that suddenly came over his features.

"Um, are you okay?" I asked. Maybe I should shut up. I didn't know this guy and for all I knew he could be a creep.

"Did you say Inuyasha?"

"Yeah. What's it to you?" I cocked my head to the side and watched the battling of expressions before he finally settled with staring at me blankly.

"Nothing." He said. "I just had a friend who used to have that name."

Crinkling my nose I said, "A name like Inuyasha? I didn't think parents nowadays were so cruel."

Then it hit me. Dog-demon. Inuyasha was a _dog_ demon! That would explain the cute doggie ears, his claws, _and_ his growling. And I'm pretty sure he's a half demon, too. His features were just too human looking. I'm sure full fledge demons had some sort of distinct characteristics. Right?

I sighed and smiled at Kouga. "Just my weird family history. I'm still learning about it. But my Grandpa swears that there were once demons living with us, and that there was a huge war. That's all he says though, and I really want to learn more. I mean, what happened to them? They couldn't have just _disappeared _into this air, right?"

Tapping a nail against the table, I ignored Kouga for the moment, lost in my thoughts. "I mean, I know there's five hundred years to thin out and everything, but can people _that_ strong really just… disappear? It's so sad… and as the saying goes, why couldn't they have just gotten along? Is jealousy really something to murder over?"

"You know… my family history involved demons too." He started off suddenly. "If you want, we can go out for coffee sometime and talk." His green eyes were quiet, so I really couldn't tell what he was thinking. Inside though, I was impressed. After all this, he still wanted to take me out on a date?

He just might be worth it.

I smiled at him and extended my hand out for a shake. "Kagome Higurashi. And coffee would be just fine."

///--///

Please review.

Luna


	4. Chapter 4

Standard disclaimer applies. I don't own any product, line, or book, or manga. I own a car, and that's about it.

Warning: I'm using the 'F' word in this chapter. Hope you aren't too offended.

**My Sixth Sense**

**Chapter Four: Discovery**

**By: Luna**

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* * *

I eyed the temple grounds for a moment before heading straight towards the God Tree, looking around and pretending my ghost didn't scare the crap out of me sometimes.

I sat the base of the tree and leaned up against its bark, sighing a little as I let myself relax. I've been so tense all week, and I have no idea why. I haven't been around here since I've been doing my laundry and looking up as much as I could about demons and to see if there was any written credibility about them, and I'm not talking about vampires (who are the only type of "demons" I've been able to find in books). Frankly, I just don't believe in them.

I stretched my legs out in front of me and looked up, blinking in surprise when I noticed Inuyasha staring back down at me from a fat, wide branch of the God Tree. "Um, hello."

He landed neatly, right next to me, and crouched down. Secretly, I'm pretty impressed. That branch was at least thirty feet high!

"You're not Kikyo." He said, frowning as he looked me over from his crouch.

Rolling my eyes, I smiled a little. "Of course not. I'm Kagome. Who's Kikyo?"

He stayed quiet for a moment before standing and crossing his arms. "It's none of your business, bitch. Why are you here? And…" Here, I saw an endearing flash of uncertainty. "And how can you see me?"

"Well…I don't know why, but I can see dead people. Since you're dead, I can see you. Get it?" I craned my neck back so I could see his face.

"But I'm not dead!" He burst out, surprising me. He looked angry and frustrated, and maybe just a tad bit lost.

"Um, I'm pretty sure you are." I corrected him, eyeing the bloody stain on the front of his haori.

"No, I'm not."

What was he, five? "Okay, then how do you explain that no one can see you? That you're stuck in this area?" For our first conversation, I think it's going pretty well. Though I've got to admit, I've never met a ghost that didn't know he was dead one way or another.

"I… can't tell you." He sounded like he was sulking, but I couldn't really tell since he turned his head away.

"Do you know who killed you?"

He stayed silent and ignored me. I pointedly cleared my throat loudly. "I'm trying to help you, you know. It wouldn't hurt to give me a little leeway… Inuyasha."

I waited, wondering if this was going to be like Rumpelstiltskin and the minute I guess his name the game's over. Instead, I was quite surprised when his hand actually grasped my throat and suspended me above ground, effectively choking me. I grasped at his wrists and suddenly regretted saying his name. This was in no way like a fairytale. I should've known. For one thing, I'm not blond and I can't spin gold…

What if saying it enabled him to be able to touch me? I kicked my feet desperately and pointed my toes, trying hard to reach the ground to give me a little room to breath. It was hard since he was taller than me by at least two or three inches, and he was chocking me with just one arm suspended past his head. I'd feel impressed by that too if it hadn't been me who's chocking and if it hadn't been me whose vision was going black…

Slowly, however, his grip lessened until it became nonexistent, and I felt his hand pass coldly through my head before I landed hard on the floor. I blinked up at him, trying to clear my eyes from the tears that suddenly sprang up, and swallowed hard. He was looking frustratingly down at his hand. Shouldn't I be afraid? Shouldn't I refuse the job here and now and run screaming back to my disbelieving Mama? But I couldn't. I just sat there stupidly in front of the man who just tried to kill me and stare up at him as I tried to catch my breath back.

"What the heck was that for?" I coughed and stood, rubbing my neck. It hurt to speak, but I tried my hardest to pretend I wasn't affected. I didn't want him to know how much my heart felt like it had stopped beating and how my body felt like now that fear was finally filtering through, leaving me slightly numb. I still couldn't walk, barely even standing, so I made myself nonchalantly lean against the God Tree and glare at him. He growled at me and took a step forward, but I didn't move. My legs were still wobbly.

"Do you know Kikyo? How else would you know my name?" He took a threatening step forward, his claws perilously close to my face. Would he be able to touch me again?

"I guessed?" At his look, I hurriedly said, "No, I'm serious. I truly just guessed. I was asking my Grandpa about the history and then I went to the library and BAM! A Eureka moment."

"A Eureka, what?" He asked with a raised brow, and seemed to be calming down. But I think inside he was just relieved that he was finally able to talk to someone. Five hundred years by himself? I didn't blame him for being murderous and crazy, thinking that he wasn't really dead. Really. Even though he just tried to kill me and almost succeeded…

"It's a word to celebrate a moment of discovery." Now that my throat was working properly again, I silently prayed I wouldn't get bruises. _That_ would be hard to explain.

"Right." He looked at the ground before sitting next to me cross legged with his arms crossed.

I felt kind bad, because I was getting the vibe that, now that he can actually talk to someone, he doesn't really know what to say. And Grandpa _did_ say they were violent, so maybe he was just acting on his natural instincts in a moment of anger. I remembered the hate he felt for Kikyo and could almost understand why he wanted to kill me… but I also know I'm just trying to convince myself. I should just stop now and accept that I'm scared shitless.

With a sigh, I eyed him again. I could only see the top of his head and the silky silver hair and the cute dog ears, so I slowly made myself relax. As I sat down with him and brought my knees up to my chest, I got the feeling that I'll be getting a lot more bruises from now on. Despite my fear, I wasn't going to allow myself to back down in the face of his anger. "So... can you not tell me a single detail about what happened to you? I truly am trying to help."

He glanced at me from the corner of his eye before looking in front of him again. "How should I know? One minute I'm being pinned to the tree and the next I'm… here." His voice was dull, his eyes distant. I looked away, feeling bad again. He must have been really lonely.

"Who pinned you? Why?" My juices were starting to flow, and the fascination this situation held in me started to burn. Curiosity wasn't necessarily good thing, and I unfortunately had it in abundance.

He jumped up suddenly and seemed agitated. "That's none of your business, bitch!"

"It was Kikyo, wasn't it?" I said quietly, watching him. "She was a priestess here and you… you loved her very much. And then she betrayed you and killed you."

He had his back to me and he stood very, very still. "How do you know such things?" he was quiet, which I don't think was a good thing when it came to him.

"I felt it. I _saw_ it. Do you remember? When I went _through_ you in the hallway?" I watched as he slowly turned and stared down at me. "Do you believe me?"

"I… yes. I saw you, too. You were in a room with other children and you were… alone." His voice was gruff as he sat down next to me again, awkward in his own way.

I winced, and looked down at my knees. Yes, I was alone. All through school I was just the freak, and even now I don't really have a big handful of friends. That was my own fault, I suppose, with being so open about the things I sometimes see. And what parent wanted their kid to hangout with a girl who saw ghosts who had committed suicide, some hanging in classrooms or walking around with bloody wrists. I guess that's why I'm so messed up now, but I've learned to live with it.

"So… why do you think Kikyo killed you?"

He frowned at me, much fiercer this time. "I told you, I'm not dead."

"Um, right, of course you aren't. So why do you think Kikyo killed you?" I absently rubbed my neck and looked at him, glad he was looking away so I could stare. Despite his murderous tendencies, he was nice to look at.

"How should I know? If I'm dead, aren't you supposed to be the one figuring that out?" He snapped out, tapping his fingers against his arms in agitation.

I blinked before clapping my hands and laughing. "Eureka! Inuyasha, you're a genius!"

It was his turn to blink at me, and then he just looked at me like I was an idiot. "No, I'm serious! That's what will help you move on to the next life! If I find out why Kikyo killed you! Isn't there anything that you can help me with?"

He gave a frustrated sigh and once again his expression told me he thought I was an idiot. "For the last time, I'm not dead."

I waited. And waited. Then I frowned. "Is that it?"

He just stared at me, irritation clearly written all over his face. "Maybe in your case it's something that you can't tell me, is that it?" But he didn't have to tell me. I _knew_ that was the reason why. Something niggled at me in the back of my brain, and I wondered what I should be remembering before I blocked it out to concentrate on what he was saying.

"If I can't tell you, why are asking me?" He grumbled, then just leaned his head back against the tree and looked up at the sky. "Times sure have changed."

"What do you mean?" I cocked my head to the side and asked, a little distracted at the abrupt change of subject.

"For one, girls in my time weren't so rude or loud mouthed."

Insulted, I stood. "Why, I never! There is no reason for you to start name calling, dog-breath!"

"Feh. Whatever." Then he hesitated, mumbling under his breath. "Bitch."

"I'm leaving if you're just going to call me names." And I would have, if it were not for the flash of desperation I saw briefly in his eyes. Poor guy. He hasn't been able to speak to anybody in five hundred years, and now all he gets is me. Maybe I _should_ consider being nicer. "But I guess I can stay here and keep you company if you're nice to me."

"… Whatever." He said. And relaxed.

///--///

I swirled my cappuccino's foam around the glass with a spoon, resting my chin in the palm of my other hand. Kouga was _so_ boring. The entire time all he talked about was himself. In fact, I think he's still doing it, but I can only vaguely tell. I stopped listening after the first fifteen minutes of this so-called date. I thought back to Inuyasha, wondering if I'd be able to help him at all if his reason for being bound to this earth revolved around enchantment, which it so obviously did.

I felt sorry for him. Who had hated him so much that they would make it impossible for him to move onto the next life? Or, actually, I should think as to why Kikyo hated him to the point where she'd want to bound his soul for all eternity, and then make it impossible for him to be able to ask for help in moving on. She must have been a real bitch. Then why had Inuyasha fallen in love with her? I'm sure that like attracts like and the reason he must have fell in love with her was because he was a real prick… but somehow I didn't think that was the case.

"So what do you think?" I heard Kouga say. Automatically I smiled and said, "Oh, definitely!" and went on with my thinking.

How would I be able to find any information on a woman five hundred years old? Not everyone in history was recorded. Not every great person was remembered. Could Kikyo have been one of the few that were? Maybe… but she seemed so bitter. Only a bitter woman would have done what she had to Inuyasha. Well, a mean one could do it too, I suppose, but I had the feeling she was just bitter. Why?

And how _the hell_ was I supposed to figure it out? All Inuyasha is giving me in ways of clues is to tell me he's not dead, and _that's_ not very reliable seeing how he obviously is.

"Vintage cars are the greatest, don't you think Kagome? Do you like Vintage cars?"

No, I hate them. "Absolutely!"

I took a sip from my cappuccino and looked across the street, distracted. I've tried getting to pry Inuyasha out of some facts, but he was so closed lipped about the whole affair that I wasn't sure if I'd ever be able to get anything out of him. But if I was right and he had some sort enchantment working around his poor death, then I shouldn't try to pry. Everything was bound by rules, and the dead are no different.

I blinked when, suddenly, a little girl about seven years old stopped to stare at me from outside the window of the small café we were at. I blinked at her, wondering what she was doing out here all alone. She was wearing an old kimono of yellow and what looked to be once red, but was now a muted pink color. Her eyes were quiet, almost vacant, but I felt sadness, too.

There was a red serrated mark on her neck…

I looked at Kouga but he seemed to be oblivious, and he was still talking about something. I looked back to the girl to find her pointing a finger at my hip. I looked down, confused, but didn't see anything on my dress. When I looked back up at her, she was gone. Poor girl. If Kouga wasn't there I would've tried to help her, but it would be rude if I just left him in mid sentence.

"So what do you say, Kagome? Shall we give it another go?"

I looked blankly at his eager face and for life of me I couldn't say a single word. What was he talking about? "Um, sure. Absolutely."

"Great! I'll pick you up tomorrow at eight, how does that sound?" He stood up and took both of my hands in his as he pulled me up, too. "You're at the shrine, right? Don't be late!"

Before I could react he bent down and kissed me. I haven't been kissed in a while, so it was nice. But Kouga was so totally boring that it affected me from enjoying his kiss the way normal women would enjoy kisses by a cute guy. When he pulled away, his face was beaming, and I managed to give him a weak smile as I pulled my hands away. "Eight o'clock, then." I managed to say.

"Right! You'll absolutely love the cars they're showcasing. And they'll even have a jazz band playing! It's perfect, right? You said you loved jazz, so I think it'll be a perfect second date." Oh God. Did I really say that? I _hate_ jazz.

"Um, of course! I can't wait. I'll see you tomorrow then!" I left more quickly than I should have, but I had to get away. What had I just gotten myself into? Kouga seemed so… dull. He was cute with his full head of dark hair and clear, pretty green eyes, but the attraction ended there.

When I reached the shrine I noticed workers were bringing in a full length mirror, and I walked to Miroku and Sango who were directing them where to put it. I raised my brow at them in question. "What are you getting that for, if you don't mind me asking?"

"The other one broke."

I wanted to ask how, but Sango's face turned to such a deep shade of red, I kind of got the hint. I laughed at them, not being able to help it. "I thought you were supposed to be a holy man?"

Miroku smiled a seemingly serene smile. "I'm merely a caretaker of this lovely shrine. I once considered becoming a monk, but my beautiful Sango changed my mind."

"I didn't do anything!" Sango protested, still red. "You're the one who groped everyone in sight to the point where monks refused to let you in their sanctuary!"

"Um, I'll be going now. I need to find Inuyasha." I said with a slight smile as I edged away.

Sango perked up and walked forward to stand beside Miroku. "So his name's Inuyasha? Will you be able to make him leave?"

I decided to ignore Miroku's hand that seemed to inch closer and closer to Sango's bottom. "It's not that easy. This is going to take some time for me to finish. Can you handle my price? I won't work on this case for free, you know."

"Yes, we know. We'll tell you when we need to let you go, if this ghost business goes on longer than usual and nothing gets taken care of."

Okay. So he's basically questioning my work ethic. Well, I'd like to see _him_ exorcise a ghost! I raised a cool brow and walked past them into the house. "Of course. "

I passed the workers heading outside the door and kept calling for Inuyasha. Where on earth was he? I stopped when I saw the full length mirror resting against the wall at the end of the hallway, and stopped to check myself out. The closer I got, however, the more disturbed I became. That wasn't me walking closer and closer to the mirror.

I stopped not a foot away and stared at the cold blue eyes staring at me with such contempt. I studied her slowly, taking in her priestesses' gown all the way down to her sandaled feet, then back up again, stopping at her left hip when I saw something glowing. I reached down and touched that spot on myself, wondering if it was on me or on her. I met her eyes again, and I was very, very serious.

"So you're Kikyo." I said calmly, telling myself to act as if I were talking about the weather.

Her eyes slid past mine, and I looked in the mirror to see Inuyasha standing there behind me, his fists clenched and hatred simply oozing off him. "You bitch." His voice was very, very soft, and I knew that I should be careful. I wasn't sure who he was talking to. Could he see the reflection like I can?

He slowly walked closer until I could feel the icy essence of him rest on my back, and I watched through the mirror as he reached out a hand and caressed the reflections face, tracing a finger along the curve of her cheek. I would have called the gesture loving if his hand hadn't shook and he looked at her with such black hatred. Then he reared back his fist and slammed it into the reflections face, and in my shock I simply stood there as the mirror shattered. Pieces went flying everywhere, and I was too shocked to really do anything even when I felt my cheek sting as a shard of glass flew past.

Miroku and Sango came running up behind me, staring at me in shock. I could only stare dumbly back before I brought my eyes to Inuyasha. He was breathing heavily, and I thought that maybe it took him effort to touch living objects. He stared at me for a moment, his face suddenly hollow.

"You're her." He said shallowly. His eyes were so tortured. "You're fucking _her_!"

Then he turned on his heel and marched away, through the walls in the direction I knew to be the God Tree. "Inuyasha, wait!" I reached for him but it was no use.

I shoved past Miroku and Sango and ran out the court yard just in time to watch Inuyasha disappear within the foliage. I ran to the base of the tree and looked up to see him curled against the trunk, his knees pulled into his chest and his head resting against the arms he crossed atop them. It was the most defeated I had ever seen him. "Inuyasha, what do you mean? That was Kikyo, wasn't it? What did you mean?"

"Don't you get it?" His voice was muffled in his arms and at the height he was at I could barely hear him. "She's _in_ you. You can't help me. You carry her inside you. She'll never let me leave."

"What?" I carry _who_ inside me? That sounded… weird.

I don't understand. What I saw back there… I could've sworn that the caress he gave my reflection was one of love, or perhaps lost love, and it was obvious Inuyasha was angry. "Please, Inuyasha, can't you tell me anything? How about before you were killed?"

"God damnit, woman, for the last time I'm not fucking dead! Quit saying that!" He lifted his head to yell at me this time, so that was a start.

"Okay! Okay." I took in a deep breath and noticed that the arrow I saw before wasn't there. What the…? Did Miroku remove it? I shook my head and made myself concentrate. "Tell me about your relationship with her then. Tell me anything that might be able to help me."

I vaguely noticed that both caretaker and wife were standing on the porch watching me, but I gave my undivided attention to Inuyasha. He was my priority. Slowly, he relaxed enough to let both of his feet dangle over the side of the large trunk, straddling it as he looked up at the sky.

"It's the only thing that hasn't changed."

"What?" I said stupidly, automatically looking up at the sky too. What was he on about again? Why does he always look at the sky? "Um, so can you tell me about Kikyo? Why did she come to hate you so much?"

He took his gaze away from the sky to stare down at me, his face still and serious. "Because I killed her."

"What?" I sounded like a parrot, but he couldn't have thrown me a larger hoop if he tried. "What did you say? That's not possible!"

I heard a sigh, and then a soft thump as Inuyasha landed beside me. "Sit down, bitch."

When I only stared at him, he reached out and I was shocked when his icy hand clasped my wrist and jerked me roughly to the ground so I could sit beside him. "After five hundred something years my memory might be a little rusty, so listen well…"

///--///

Again, reviews are wanted. Story alerts are nice, but not as flattering as an actual review.

Luna


	5. Chapter 5

Standard disclaimer applies. I don't own any product, line, or book, or manga. I own a car, and that's about it.

Warning: I'm using the 'F' word in this chapter. Hope you aren't too offended.

**My Sixth Sense**

**Chapter Five: Story Time and Meetings**

**By: Luna**

* * *

"There's a jewel called the Shikon no Tama, the Jewel of the Four Souls. It has the power to grant any wish. I wanted it, and Kikyo was the one protecting it. She tried hiding since a war was going on, but any demon worth his salt would be able to sense the jewel back then. There weren't the same kind of smells as there are now." Inuyasha said, not looking at me. Instead, he seemed to be staring up at the sky again. What on earth fascinated him so much about it? The thought of heaven, maybe? Did demons even believe in a heaven or an afterlife? "When I finally found her, I tried to take it from her but I… I couldn't kill her." 

"You just said you killed her." I said curiously, wondering what this amazing jewel looked like.

"Would you shut up? You wanted to hear this so don't interrupt me!" he snapped, stuffing his hands in the huge sleeves of his haori.

I stuck my tongue out at him. "Fine! By all means, continue!"

His lips curled at my sarcasm, but he didn't leave. "I thought we reached a… an agreement, and she told me one time to wait for her at our secret place. She would give me the jewel so I could wish to be human, so I could wish… to be with her. Forever."

Unconsciously, it seems, he looked up into the branches of the tree. I felt self conscious then, wondering what he must have thought when I first appeared and stood underneath this God Tree, looking so much like his Kikyo…

"She was injured when she arrived, but she wouldn't let me come near her. She was trying to kill me! She said that if I ever tried to take the Shikon no Tama, she'd make sure I'd burn in hell for ever." His lips curled again in disgust, and his eyes were shuttered. "She wouldn't stop. She told me… things. Things that angered me. She brought out the jewel and it affected me in some way, and when I woke up her blood was spilled across the entire field. I was covered in it, my claws still dripping with it, and it smelt so fresh…"

He trailed off and I didn't prompt him to continue. It was sad, and it was something I didn't think I would ever understand, and I'm not entirely sure if I want to. It was also disgusting. I knew why Grandpa must have a dislike for demons if what Inuyasha was saying was the truth. It was the most disgusting and horrifying thing in the world to even consider that another man, whether human or demon, could rip apart another soul with his bare hands. I shuddered, trying to hide my reaction, and made myself stop thinking when he started speaking again.

"A few months went by, and while I was at this tree again, Kikyo stepped out of the woods just like she had done all that time ago, only this time… she seemed different. Cold. That passion for life was gone and all that stood before me was a walking corpse. Like a doll with no soul. I was so shocked I couldn't even move, not even as she knocked back that first arrow."

His face twisted, and again I remembered that vision of me watching him from across the courtyard, feeling his black hate twist his beautiful face into something ugly and frightening. I had betrayed him. So he killed me. And then he was confused with why I was standing there, pointing an arrow at his heart. Then I shook my head. No, no, _Kikyo_. That was _Kikyo_ that killed him. Why was I getting this messed up?

"She said… she said…"

He couldn't seem to finish his sentence, but that was okay. I did it for him. Out of nowhere, I spoke, and even to my ears I sounded strange. "You will never escape my hell."

He didn't look as surprised as I expected, but again that was okay because I was feeling it enough for the both of us. Where the _hell_ did that come from?

"Yeah." He said quietly, watching me. "That."

"So now you're here, and you don't know how to get out. Do you remember anything else?" This was so freaky. This was _so_ freaky! I wanted to ask, "Why me?" but didn't have the heart when I saw Inuyasha's tortured expression. His hell was worse than the one I had stepped into, and I wouldn't be selfish.

"I don't really remember much about my life before that. Right now, everything I ever think of revolves around her… She's right. I'll never escape. And now she's come back to haunt me." He was looking at me, and for a moment I didn't get why or understand his expression.

"_What?_" My voice was shrilly, but I couldn't help it. "There's no way! Inuyasha, I'm _not_ trying to kill you! I'm trying to _help_ you! I'd never feel such bitter hate towards you, or anyone else! And for the last time it's because I'm _not_ Kikyo!" After hyperventilating a few minutes, Inuyasha's steady gaze on me somehow helped calm me down.

"Isn't there anything surrounding your death that you can tell me?" I asked at last, a little desperate because I was feeling too overwhelmed and I didn't know how to handle it.

"I've already told you all I know, bitch. Piece it together yourself." With that, he promptly jumped back into his little niche and ignored me.

I found myself dazedly walking towards the streets, a little desperate to get away but unable to make my feet move any faster than they already were. Oh God. What the hell am I supposed to do now? I want to walk away. I desperately do. This feels over my head and I don't know how I'm supposed to cope with something like this.

Five hundred years… he had five hundred years to think and to hate and to be lonely. Maybe he went a little crazy. Maybe that's why he can be so calm and almost nice one moment only to be cruel and angry the next, trying to hurt me physically. I felt that he truly has told me everything he possible can, and I couldn't force myself to pry any more. Why was I reacting this way? It shouldn't affect me. It _shouldn't_ affect me!

I felt something vibrate against my hip, and it took me a moment to realize it was cell phone. "Hello?" I said dazedly, wondering what else I should expect.

"Kagome? I've got some really juicy stuff here that I've found in the Hall of Records. I pulled some strings and was able to get inside their massive archive room, and found some things you might wish to see." Souta's voice was filled with relish, obviously excited over whatever it was that he found.

"I'll be right there." What's one more surprise? With a sigh I went to the street's corner and hailed a cab.

Souta was completely engrossed in whatever it was he was reading by the time I arrived at the Archives Room. I looked around in amazement at the stacks of history that filled this room, and I felt an itching in my fingers to read everything that was ever saved, but I resisted as I walked over to sit next to Souta.

He looked up, a smile on his face. "I was looking up any notable priestesses that might have been recorded, and I found something about a chick called Midoriko."

I rolled my eyes, then my shoulders in an attempt to ease some tension out of them. "Sorry, wrong chick I'm looking for."

"No, no, it gets better. Apparently she was the one that created a supposedly mystical jewel. The old man that's writing this crap keeps rambling on about it, and that this Midoriko was a woman that could purify demons. She found herself in a huge war against them that lasted seven days and seven nights." Souta carefully flipped a few pages and started reading from the pages. "'Caught in its powerful jaws, the priestess Midoriko tried with the last of her powers to capture the demons soul, but alas, cast her own soul out as well.'" He looked up. "That created the Shikon no Tama."

The hairs rose on the back of my neck, and a stab in my brain caused stars to momentarily appear. I blinked the pain away and focused on my brother's animated face. "It says that this jewel was passed on to the priestess Kikyo, who was killed by a demon that sought after the jewel. It was burned with her body, so no one knows where it is now or if it still existed. This is the coolest thing I ever read! I mean, if this demon succeeded in killing her, why didn't he take the jewel? Why kill her and leave it with her remains?"

Actually, that was a really good question. I'll think on it when I'm actually able to think again.

Souta was still babbling in excitement. "Aren't you excited to be a part of this?"

I was. I mean I am. Or I used to be. Before I became so confused. My head feels fuzzy like I have a fever, and I wanted to go home in case I really _did_ have a fever. "Hey Souta, can you make copies of everything that you've found for me? I don't feel too hot right now."

Souta's excitement was momentarily replaced with concern. "Oh. Okay. Go to sleep. I'll use your hide-a-key and drop off some soup or something."

"Alright." I mumbled, and left for home.

///--///

I was sick for nearly two weeks. When I finally managed to drag myself back to the shrine, I had a steaming Inuyasha ready to yell at me at the top of the stairs.

"Where the hell have you been?" he barked out as he followed me towards the house. "You disappeared forever! Why the hell haven't you been working on my case?"

I mumbled an unintelligent reply before I collapsed in the guest room I had been given, landing face down on the pillow. Sango was nice enough to set this up for me, in case I ever needed it. Thank God for Sango. She's turned out to be the sweetest girl I know. Well, besides Reika.

"Hel – lo! I'm talking to you, bitch!"

I waved the finger at him airily without looking up. I still felt like crap damnit, and he should show a little appreciation for me even being here!

"What does that mean?" I felt him swipe at my finger and felt the chill as he moved through it.

"It means up yours." I mumbled through my pillow. "You don't usually badger sick people, do you?"

"You seem okay to me."

"Yeah, well, how would you know? I've been sick with the flu for like, forever. In fact, I shouldn't even be here. You shouldn't be here either. Go away." Actually, I wasn't feeling that bad, just tired. I felt coldness settle next to me and knew that Inuyasha sat down on the bed, and it felt odd to not feel the mattress give way to his nonexistent weight.

I sighed and turned my head to the side so it wasn't buried in the pillow, staring at his hip because his head was out of my line of sight. And I didn't feel like sitting up. "So tell me, Inuyasha, have you any brothers or sisters?"

"I have a… brother?" He sounded confused for a moment before his voice firmed. "Yes, I have a step-brother, Sesshoumaru. He's a full demon, so he might be alive to this day. Not like he'd care to see me, though."

"You don't get along?" I asked idly and poked at his hip, amusing myself every time it passed through and made my finger feel cold.

Inuyasha shifted uncomfortably before trying, unsuccessfully, to swat my hand away. "Stop that!" he barked, scooting away a little. "And no, we didn't get along. Or… at least I don't think we did. He…"

His voice was so uncertain that I felt compelled to roll onto my back so I could actually look up at him. He looked so confused as he struggled to remember. "We always fought. He used to let a human girl called Rin tag along with him, and a toad demon named Jaken and a dragon called Ah Un. I don't know if he genuinely cared for them or not or just let them tag along for amusement, but I'm pretty sure Rin died before I got pinned to the tree. I don't know what happened to Jaken."

"Why do you think Rin died before you did?" I asked, curious.

"She didn't look too well the last time I fought with Sesshoumaru. She was pretty pale, and she didn't have that annoying cheerful look about her anymore. I mean, she still smiled at me and waved, but she seemed tired… sick. I don't even know if Sesshoumaru even bothered to notice, or if he even cared." He was staring at his hands, his golden eyes turning just a tad bit darker than usual as he thought about his past. He said before that he couldn't remember, so I felt that I was doing something right in making him talk about what he does remember. It might bring him a sense of comfort to know that he still had his memories, which Kikyo hadn't manage to take that away from him.

"You miss your brother?"

"Hell no." His reply was immediate and definite. "Sesshoumaru was a bastard. He hated the fact that I even existed, that I carry the blood of the Western Lord in my veins, and he always tried to kill me. Whenever he attacked me he always kept saying shit about something being in my eye, that he'd force it out of me if necessary, but I don't know what the hell he was talking about. Kikyo got to me before I learned."

I looked up at the ceiling and wondered what life was really like five hundred years ago. The way Inuyasha was speaking, it wasn't pretty. Why would two brothers hate each other so much, anyways? And who was the Western Lord? When I asked him about it, I could almost see his hackles rise in irritation at the thought of his brother.

"The Lord of the Western Lands is a more appropriate title." He growled, clenching and unclenching his fists in agitation. "He was my father. When he died, the title was passed on to Sesshoumaru. My mother was human, and Sesshoumaru hates humans with a passion. Since I'm half human, he hates me too."

I considered this, wondering what kind of guy this Sesshoumaru was. He sounded just as prejudice towards humans as humans were against demons. That's natural, I guess. I couldn't judge him just off of that. "Hmm. You know, if he's still alive today like you said, he may still be in Japan. I think I'm going to look him up."

"_No!_" His shout was so adamant that I blinked, sitting up so I could stare at him better.

"What's so wrong with me looking him up? I would think after five hundred years he could have learned some sort of tolerance, otherwise he'd been gunned down or locked in a lab somewhere." I stopped, thinking over what I just said. Was that it…? I clapped my hands in delight. "That's it! I think that demons either learned tolerance or covered up that they were demons! That _has_ to be it! If humans committed genocide against the demon race, it would have been recorded somewhere, taught in history, or had a museum set up in memory. They must still be alive! They _have_ to be! Oh, this is so exciting!"

"You… you don't mind the thought of demons existing in this new, evolved world?" He looked at me with a strange look in his eyes before he looked down at his hands again. "Kikyo didn't. She wanted me to become human. She wouldn't really let me touch her until I made a wish on the Jewel."

"Well, she _was_ a priestess, Inuyasha. The fact that you're a demon – or a half demon – may not have been her reason for wanting you to change." I said this as gently as I could, not wanting him to feel ashamed for what he was. I grew up in a similar manner, only he never got the chance to live and learn to be proud that he was different, not embarrassed or ashamed. "As a priestess, she had to remain pure until her job protecting the jewel was complete. I think she thought that the only way to get rid of it was to have you wish upon it, and turning human was the only way for it to disappear."

At least, I hoped that was her reasoning, for Inuyasha's sake. I didn't have the heart to tell him that it probably wasn't love in the first place if she didn't accept him as he was. "Me personally, I wouldn't have wanted you to change. Your ears are the cutest thing!" I reached up to flick an ear, surprised when I was actually able to do it. I tried it again, but it went straight through.

I swung my legs over the side of the bed and watched Inuyasha stand, looking uncomfortable. I wonder if he feels it when my fingers or my legs went through him, because he became twitching every time I did. "I'm going to see if Miroku has internet or something that I can use."

"Kagome-san, I bumped into someone named Kouga at the foot of the steps the other day. He said that you had a date together?" Miroku asked, cocking his head to the side when my face flushed in embarrassment.

"Oh my God, I completely forgot! Poor Kouga, being stood up like that!" I said, my hands covering up my burning cheeks. Poor guy! I wonder how long he waited at the shrine for me to leave with him.

"What did you say?"

I turned my head to Inuyasha, my brows crunched up in confusion. "Oh my God?"

He shook his head adamantly, "No, before that. Who's name did you say?"

"Er, Kouga? I met him the other day at the library when I was trying to research Kikyo, and I went on a date with him. Why, you know him?" Impossible, I thought, but I had to ask.

Inuyasha looked so confused. "I… no, I don't think so. But the name sounds familiar."

"Maybe its part of your past. Go to your thinking spot and try to remember. Come find me if you come up with anything." I watched as he disappeared through the wall without another word, surprised that he acquiesced so quickly.

I heard a sigh and turned back to Miroku. "It's very disturbing, that it is, listening to you talking to yourself. I'm assuming that was our ghost?"

I gave a wry smile. "Yes. Inuyasha. He's having trouble remembering before he was killed, and I think helping him remember would help me solve the puzzle in why he's still here. Most ghosts would have moved on already once I found out either how they died, who killed them, or why. In this case, I know who, and I know how. What I don't know is why, and I'm trying to figure it out."

"Having any luck?" He asked, curiosity lighting his pretty violet eyes.

"No. He's a five hundred year old demon. I'm not sure how I can figure something out so old. I know you think my Grandpa was nuts when he started talking about demons to you and Sango, but it's not just him being crazy. There really _were_ demons, Inuyasha is proof of that." I cocked my head to the side and studied him, my brows furrowed. "Do you even believe me, or do you think I'm as crazy as my Grandfather?"

He was quiet for a few moments, considering. He watched me, studying every inch of my features, before he smiled. "Yes. I don't know how, but I believe you. Just as I believe, Kagome-san, that you were looking to ask me something?"

I smiled in return, glad that he didn't think me crazy. "Yes. I was hoping you had a computer with internet connection. I wanted to look up the name Sesshoumaru."

Miroku's eyes shot up in surprise. "Well, you don't need an internet for that. Sesshoumaru Takasi is famous around these parts. He's a collector of antiquities and owns the most renowned auction house in the whole of Tokyo. How do you know him?"

Excitement bubbled up inside of me at this, and I could hardly contain my glee. "Are you serious? He's still here? Oh my God, you have to take me to him! Can you, pretty please?"

Laughing a little, Miroku held up his hands in a placating manner. "Sure, sure. I had wanted to get out of here anyways. Just hold on a minute while I tell Sango."

As I waited outside for him, I nearly bounced where I stood, so eager to see what the great Sesshoumaru looked like. It took a while with the way Miroku drove (like an old man) and the traffic, but it didn't take long to arrange a meeting. It was surprisingly easy to get a meeting with Sesshoumaru. Miroku murmured something to a waiting attendent and I was whisked off to his office, Miroku claiming he'd wait in the car. I sat in a plush chair in his ornate office, looking all around me and noticing cameras in every corner of the room, their red light blinking, telling me they were indeed running.

When I heard the door open behind me, I couldn't contain my gasp of surprise. I watched this modern day Adonis walk behind his desk and type something into a black panel, then flick golden eyes to stare me coldly down. "H-hello, Sesshoumaru. I'm here about Inuyasha."

Out of the corner of my eye I watched the red light from the camera blink off, and the next second I once again found myself suspended in the air with a hand that was very much alive clenching around my throat.

////\\\\

REVIEW GOSH DANGIT!

Luna


	6. Chapter 6

Standard disclaimer applies. I don't own any product, line, or book, or manga. I own a car, and that's about it. Well, a laptop too if you really want to be specific, but that's all!

Warning: I'm using the 'F' word in this chapter. Hope you aren't too offended.

A special thanks goes out to **Uber-Ramen-Luver****Kura-sama****, TinyDancer, **

**BlondieBubbles, ****ixchen, ****DepressedxSoulxWaiting, MissRule**You guys are the best!!

* * *

**My Sixth Sense**

**Chapter Six: The Ghost of Lord Sesshoumaru**

**By: Luna**

* * *

I might have made a mistake. 

Okay, I might have made a really _big_ mistake. Maybe I should have listened to Inuyasha when he told me that I shouldn't have gone to see his brother, but I just couldn't help it. I wanted to _see_ that demons existed. I wanted to see, in a weird, twisted sort of way, that there were others out there that were just like me and that were alive. A freak. Or maybe the word to use would be _different_. Not like others. Special. Sure everybody _says_ that everyone is special in their own special little way.

But not everyone can see dead people or lift a hundred and fifteen pound woman up in the air by only one hand. Okay, a hundred and twenty-three pound woman. But I'm getting off track here. In fact, I think I'm getting a little delirious from the lack of oxygen. I was grasping his wrist now, very weakly, and wondered if I was actually going to die this time.

I don't think I have any regrets. Do I?

I closed my eyes and wondered, and an image of Inuyasha floated to my brain. Yes. Yes, I did have a regret. I wished I had been able to save Inuyasha. No one deserved that kind of a nightmare, no one. To look, but not touch. To see, but not be seen. To love, to hurt, to cry, and no one caring because you don't exist to them. Could God really be so cruel? It was true that I didn't know Inuyasha very well, and in his past life he might have done deeds that warranted him being punished. But even this was just… what? I couldn't explain it. I cant even imagine what it must be like for him. Especially now. After five hundred years he was finally able to speak to someone, and now I was leaving him because I didn't have the good grace to trust him when he said his brother was dangerous. I am such a fool.

Tears gathered, and I thought of my brother Souta. So handsome, so strong. I'm glad he grew up happy with no curse dogging his every footsteps, whispering from every shadow. I'm glad he didn't have to grow up afraid. I do wish that I had spoken with my mother before… well, before. And Grandpa… I hope I don't kill him with all the candy I've been giving him lately. Wait, no, that's not what I regret. Maybe next time I'll listen to his stories more, believe him more, and appreciate him more.

When people get older, the younger generation seems to just push them in the back of their mind and forget about them, and if they don't forget about them they think that just because they're older, they're either senile or stupid, or think the stories they tell make them crazy, like Sango thought my Grandfather was crazy. I'd always vaguely thought what it would be like if I were one of those crazy old people that family members like to forget, and now I'm wondering if I'll ever know. Probably not since I'm still hanging up in the air and dying at the hands of the most elegantly beautiful man I'd ever met. I guess whatever lucky streak I had finally run out.

Sesshoumaru gave me a little shake, and I winced at the strain on my neck. "How do you know that name, human?"

I'd answer, but he'd have to stop killing me first. I moved my mouth, tears falling down my face even though I didn't want them to. I noticed it last time when it was Inuyasha doing the choking, that tears had rushed to my eyes and my mouth started salivating. I didn't want to drool in front of this guy, so he had better let me go. He didn't seem to have any intention of doing so, and finally the delayed reaction of panic flooded in and I desperately tried to kick at him, but they didn't seem to faze him in the least.

I felt hot, panicked, and desperate. The only thing I could think of was _Get Off!_

He did, very abruptly, and I landed hard on my bottom, pain radiating up like a slow burn.

He stared at his hand, and I did too, surprised to find it smoking slightly as if it had been on fire. I stared at the blisters and burnt flesh, and wondered how I did that. Then I stared at him, at his golden eyes, and thought they must be even more beautiful than Inuyasha's. It was true they were very similar, but Inuyasha's eyes were wide and expressive, his face as changeable as my own. Yet Sesshoumaru's were narrower, more slanted, and as cool as ice. I must be very sick indeed if I could still check a guy out after he just tried to kill me.

His face was regal and elegant, glossy and prettier than Inuyasha's rugged handsomeness. He was taller, too… or he seemed taller from my current slumped position on the floor, with leaner hips, tighter muscles, longer legs, and broader shoulders. His look said he might have been born royalty, and from what Inuyasha said I guess that was true. Lord of the Western Lands, right? I guess even for a demon living for the past five hundred years, you can never lose that sense of self. By right, he is still much of a Lord then as he is now. The only difference is scenery and time.

Slowly, he crouched down to my level, a strange look in his eyes. "You're a miko."

I stared at him blankly, still a little shocked and wheezing from the attack on my throat and my painful rear. The fact that he actually crouched down to my level barely even surprised me. Then his words registered. I'm a miko? He said it so matter of fact, that for a moment I thought that he couldn't be wrong. But that was ludicrous. Me, a miko? Kagome Higurashi, probably the only woman in Tokyo who's never stepped foot in a shrine until a couple of weeks ago, a _miko_? Yeah, right.

"I don't think so." I wheezed, sitting up. "I don't like shrines. They make me see… too much."

He merely raised his eyebrow at me. "How do you know the name Inuyasha."

It was a command, not a question. I glared at him, feeling more like myself. "He told me. Sort of. How do you know that name?"

"You already know the answer to that if you're here. Explain yourself." He ordered, standing up to sit behind his desk.

Warily, I stood up and sat in the seat I was in before, not so comfortable anymore. "You may think this is odd, but I see dead people all the time. Not the actual bodies, of course, but their spirits. Their souls."

Sesshoumaru nodded curtly. "Miko." He said, as if that explained everything.

I glared at him, continuing on as if he hadn't said a word. "Inuyasha's is trapped to the place where he died five hundred years ago, and I'm trying to set him free."

"Inuyasha isn't dead." Again, every word out of his mouth sounded like a statement or fact. If it wasn't either of the two, it was a command.

I glared at him, already feeling hot and bothered and now starting to get irritated as well. Well, that's just great. I've got another demon in denial. "I'm afraid he is. He has no physical form. He can smell things, but he can't touch, and no one can see him or hear him but me."

"Well, aren't you special." He spoke without inflection, but I knew sarcasm when I heard it.

I narrowed my eyes. "Don't you even care? Your only brother is stuck in a never ending hell."

"It's a hell of his own making. If he followed my advice, he never would have been in that situation to begin with." Sesshoumaru was looking bored now, and checked his watch. The arrogance he gave off was almost suffocating.

"Advice?" I asked dubiously. "What advice?"

"To stay away from that human. She may have been tolerable at one point in her insignificant life, but she'll always be what she was born as. A human." He gave me a pointed look, almost as if I were supposed to understand that sort of logic. "Your kind is greedy and selfish. She would have betrayed him sooner or later when her jealousy for my race overwhelmed her. He was a fool. I care not for what happens to him now."

"Is that really true?" I narrowed my eyes a little at his slightest hesitation. I wouldn't have noticed it if I hadn't been watching him so closely. "He doesn't remember."

Sesshoumaru's eyes sharpened a bit, and he tightened his mouth a moment before speaking. "Excuse me?"

"He doesn't remember anything before Kikyo shot him. He barely remembered you." I wanted to feel satisfaction when his eyes slid away from mine to frown down at his desk, but I didn't. No matter his arrogance, in some small way it was obvious he cared about his little brother or at least cared a little about what he was going through. I wasn't going to rub it in his face that Inuyasha barely remembers his name, let alone his face. "Is there anything you can tell me that might help me in helping Inuyasha? Anything."

With a sigh, he stood. I quickly followed so he wouldn't tower over me. "I've already told you what I know."

My brows furrowed and I pouted just a bit. "And what's that? That you hate all human beings equally and without prejudice? Gee, that's helpful."

To say I was surprised when his fingers curled under my chin to tilt my face up so I could look him in the eye was an understatement. I was struck speechless. Being this close to Inuyasha was one thing since I knew he couldn't touch me, but having such a beautiful man this close to me made my tongue stick to the roof of my mouth. Then he leaned in and murmured, "I don't hate all humans."

Then he passed me and I stood alone in his office, wondering and a little lost. What was I supposed to do now?

Miroku looked worried when I finally made it outside, and I didn't know why until I looked in the vanity mirror on the car's visor and saw my throat was already developing bruises. "I take it Sesshoumaru is Inuyasha's brother? A real demon?"

"Yes." I rubbed my throat. "They have a habit of going for the throat first."

Miroku was silent for a moment when he rolled to a stop at a red light. "Kagome, you're fired."

_What_ did he just say? "What did you just say?"

"I said you're fired. This is obviously a job too dangerous just for you to do. I can't let you keep doing this if every time you get close to a clue something bad happens to you. The cut on your face hasn't even healed yet, for Gods sake!"

Cut? Oh, from the mirror. I reached up to rub it absently, having forgotten it was even there.

"Miroku, this is what my life is like." Well, up to this point anyways. He doesn't need to know that I've never been injured before on jobs. "I'm used to this. And I'm already hooked. I want to free this man. I _need_ to free him. No one deserves what he is going through. If you want to fire me, fine. But I'm still going to keep investigating and I'm still going to get hurt every time I bump into a demon. Hopefully not, but it seems to be their thing. You can't make me stop. My family owns this shrine, so you can't kick me off grounds either."

With a sigh, he started driving again, and for a while it was in silence. But then I saw that bedraggled girl in the yellow kimono swinging her legs back and forth as she sat on a bench outside a large mansion. "Stop!" I cried, grunting when Miroku hit the brakes hard and the shoulder strap of my seatbelt rubbed against my neck. But then I was out, running, and finally stopped when I reached the little girl who merely stared up at me with guileless eyes the color of chocolate.

"Hi!" The little girl said cheerfully, still swinging her legs. "Did you see Lord Sesshoumaru yet?"

_Lord_ Sesshoumaru? I got my thinking skin prickles and resisted narrowing my eyes, instead just making sure my face stayed relaxed.

"Uh, yes. How did you know?" I sat down next to her with an exhausted flop, sticking my feet lazily out in front of me.

"Rin likes Lord Sesshoumaru." The girl said, ignoring me for a moment before sticking a strand of hair behind her ear, revealing to me the choke marks around her throat. I swallowed hard, bile rising in my throat. She was just a baby. Or had been.

"And does Lord Sesshoumaru like Rin?" I asked carefully, unable to take my eyes off those marks. Only by force of will was I able to look up in her eyes. I imagined I could look right through them, and I didn't understand what I thought I saw.

"Of course he does!" Rin chirped, sending another sunny smile my way. "Lord Sesshoumaru always took care of Rin."

"Um, what happened to your throat? Do you remember who did that to you?" Don't say Sesshoumaru. I silently begged, _begged_ her not to say it. I didn't want it to be him. I couldn't explain why, but I desperately didn't want it to be him.

Rin's eyes turned solemn and she stopped kicking her legs. "Don't be sad for Rin. It was better this way."

"Who did that to you?" My throat must still be raw from earlier, because it cracked a little. Sometimes I really, really hated my job and wished I didn't feel so much. See too much. She was just a _baby_.

"It was dark," Rin said, ignoring my question. "Rin was very, very sick. Can I go to sleep now, Lord Sesshoumaru? Rin is tired. She just wants to go to sleep. Lord Sesshoumaru said Rin couldn't, that she had to stay awake. He asked Rin not to fall asleep."

I closed my eyes and tried to visualize it, as horrible as it was. He hadn't wanted her to die. He didn't want her to fall asleep. He had cared, I realized. In his own way, he had cared very deeply.

_I don't hate all humans._ I wonder if he was talking about Rin.

"But a demon was inside Rin. Eating her away and no one else knew until it was too late, and Lord Sesshoumaru said he had to make me stop hurting. Rin was sad because Lord Sesshoumaru was sad. But Rin stayed with him, even though he couldn't see. Rin didn't want him to be lonely."

I was crying again, and I knuckled away my tears. I saw Miroku up ahead, still parked along side the road, waiting for me. I looked back at the house we were sitting in front of. "Is this his house?"

"Yes. Rin waits for him everyday to come home from work." She turned to me again, and that bright smile was fixed once more on her face. "Don't be sad. Rin chose this way. So Rin won't be lonely either."

I spent the rest of the day wallowing, simply wallowing. Poor Rin. Poor Inuyasha. Poor Sesshoumaru, who was so lonely a child ghost didn't want to go to heaven and leave him alone. And poor, poor me who was stuck in the middle of it, all because I was just too stubborn and my heart stubbornly felt more than it should. It was my fault. Like Inuyasha, I was doomed to this hell of my own choosing over and over again because I just couldn't turn my back and walk away.

Yes. Poor, poor me.

////\\\\

Inuyasha was once again waiting impatiently for me at the top of the steps, tapping a bare foot against the stone steps as I sluggishly made my way up the stairs. Why did shrines have to have so many stairs?

He froze when I finally made it to the top. "What the hell happened to you?"

"You don't have to rub it in my face." I muttered, dragging my feet towards the God Tree. I know that I must look like crap, so I did _not_ need some ghost hurting my vanity.

He followed after me, his ears twitching in irritation. "Who the hell did that to you?"

I flopped down and leaned against the tree's bark, feeling a headache coming on. Inuyasha was not going to like this. "Your brother."

It was silent for all of three seconds before he exploded at me, pacing back and forth and waving his hands in the air as he lectured. I couldn't really say I was paying attention, so all I caught were bits and pieces. I really should break out of the habit, since I agreed to so many things Kouga was saying on our date and I don't even remember half of it. At least now I was actually looking at Inuyasha as he ranted, even if the words were a little fuzzy.

"I can't believe you… doesn't like anyone… I'm gonna get… Are you even listening to me?"

_Of course I am_, I wanted to say, but I was already fast asleep

///\\\

REVIEW PLEASE! It's just that little button on the bottom of the screen that's just begging you to put it to good use.

Luna


	7. Chapter 7

Standard disclaimer applies.

Thank you all for your support. I know it's taken FOREVER to get me to the romance, but I had to set up my characters and get a smooth plot going before I entered _**feelings**_ into the mix. So everyone, sorry for the wait, but I'll finally put a little bit of XOXO in the mix as well.

This chapter is not going to be all that great in the sense that I'm going to fill it with a lot of dream sequences that will set me up for the next chapter, so I can start winding down on the story line. Still, I hope you like it, and I hope you all stick with me until the very end. I love this story despite the gaps that I believe are in it, and I do think I could have done better with the development, but this is what it is, and I hope that it starts getting better as I keep on writing. I only intend to make this chapter ten to maybe fifteen chapters long, so be sure to fill it in with as many reviews as you can get to cheer me on!

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**My Sixth Sense**

**Chapter Seven: Inside of Me**

**By: Luna**

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_I was dreaming again. That same dream that seemed to start it all, except now it was a little different. Tainted with someone's memories and I wasn't sure if they were mine or hers. I felt that same peace slide into me, calming me down, relaxing my mind from all stress and all hardships and everything that I ever thought about and never wanted to think again. I relaxed, took a deep breath, and followed the motions in my dream. _

_The lush plant life surrounded me, enveloping me in its beauty. The towering oak I once again stood under shaded me from the sun that was burning harder than I remember from last time. I felt myself smile as I tilted my face up so it was dappled by the sun streaking through the leaves. Though technically I was conscious, I couldn't control any of my movements, so I merely waited until he arrived, like I knew he would. _

_I heard his foot steps behind me, and I let my hand slide off the bark of the tree as I turned, still smiling, at Inuyasha. He wore his red pants and his red top, and once again I found myself admiring him, loving him. I don't know if these were my feelings or hers, so I didn't trust that the real me could feel what she must have felt then, at one point in time. There was no way I could be in love with Inuyasha. Admirations, like, but never love. I wouldn't allow myself to love someone who didn't really exist anymore._

_His long, flowing white hair billowed with the breeze that filtered through the forest, and I followed its path, noticing for the first time the well that stood behind him. I felt as if I should know it, or it was somehow familiar to me, but for the life of me I couldn't remember. I brought my attention back to Inuyasha, feeling warm under the intensity of his gaze. He opened his mouth to speak, and I closed my eyes in anticipation as to what he might say. I didn't hear anything, and I opened my eyes to find him glaring down at the ground with a frustrated look on his face, his fists clenched tightly at his side._

"_I can't do it." He sounded choked, despaired. "I'm sorry, Kikyo. I just can't do it."_

_Do what? But my dream self answered for me. "What?" I sounded shocked, outraged, hurt. I could feel myself churning with emotion, bitterness and anger being the first thing I recognized. "You don't want to be human? You don't want to be _normal_?"_

"_Kikyo…" He looked at a loss for words, and while I ached for him, my dream self glared at him with contempt. I realized how different we were, maybe for the first time. Inuyasha always grouped me with this Kikyo, but how could he consider me the same as this woman? I couldn't possibly relate myself to this woman I seem to be in the dream, so I referred to her as someone different, separate. I did not want to have anything to do with such a selfish creature._

"_What about our dreams, Inuyasha?" She demanded, and I wondered why she couldn't just accept him as he was. "Why don't you want to be with me anymore?"_

"_I do, Kikyo! You know how I feel!" He shouted, his body vibrating with energy. His face was so passionate I wanted to reach for him, but Kikyo took a step back._

"_Do I?" Kikyo asked scornfully. "I thought you wanted to be human. For me. So we can both be _normal_!"_

_The desperation in her voice was thick, and I wondered what was so horrible about her that she felt as if she weren't normal, as if the people around her had to change to fit what her idea of normal was. As if answering my question, I watched Inuyasha's eyes drop, and I followed his gaze to my hand, and I was surprised to find me holding a beautiful pink stone. It was cool as glass, and yet it sparkled in the sun like a thousand diamonds set a flame. It looked like nothing but a bauble, but there was a strange energy radiating from it that felt too big, too encompassing. It felt as if it were swallowing me whole._

_It was its entire fault, I thought contemptuously. If it didn't exist, I would be normal. I wouldn't have this responsibility, and Inuyasha wouldn't be trying to steal the jewel from me. This was why I wanted him to be human. So his demon blood wouldn't be swayed by a little bit of power. Damn his demon blood! _

_I couldn't control my dream self, but I wanted to gasp at the thoughts coursing through my head as I glared down at the beautiful, perfect jewel. I felt her hate for it, the weight of whatever responsibility it must have, and her growing despair and anger at Inuyasha. Slowly, I brought my eyes back to his._

_Her hand tightened around it. She backed away from him, leaving him standing forlornly underneath the massive tree, and she didn't stop until the back of her knees touched the well. _

"_Farewell, Inuyasha." She said hollowly, and I watched in horror through her eyes as she notched an arrow and let it fly._

_////\\\\_

The first thing I saw when I woke up the next morning was Inuyasha's face. I blinked, thinking I was still dreaming, and was surprised when the image stayed fixed. The feelings of the dream were still coursing through me, and I stayed still until I thought all of those dark emotions were put at bay. I did not love Inuyasha, and I certainly didn't hate him. It was _her_ fault.

Slowly, I sat up, surprised to still be sitting slumped underneath the God Tree with a blanket pulled up to my chin. I smiled wryly at him, sitting up and letting the blanket pool in my lap. "This seems to be happening a lot lately, hasn't it? Me falling asleep under this tree."

He stayed silent. He was sitting cross legged beside me with his arms crossed, his face completely blank as he stared at me. It reminded me a moment of Sesshoumaru, and it really creeped me out. Self consciously I tucked a loose strand of hair behind my ear and surreptitiously checked to make sure I hadn't been drooling. "What?"

"Why are you helping me?" It was so blunt, so forward, that I had to avoid his gaze.

I laughed a little, nervous. "Why not?"

The silence seemed so think that I had to look over at him, wondering why he didn't answer me. He still stared at me, eerily blank, and very, very serious. "You're getting hurt all the time, Kagome. Because of me. Do you really think I wouldn't care? If this curse is so horrible that the one that's trying to break it keeps getting hurt, why are you doing this at all?"

Why? Why, why, why, why, _why_? Why do people get up every morning when they know ninety percent of the time it's probably not going to be a good day? Why is the sky blue? Why do some women grow up hating kids only to want them later? Who knows? They were all as unanswerable as Inuyasha's question. I'm sure part of the reason is because if I were Inuyasha, I wouldn't want _me_ to give up. But I also remember, clear as day, the look in his eyes when he realized that I could see him, that I wanted to help him, and that he was able to talk to me.

Not a whole lot of ghosts stuck around to talk to me, to get angry when someone else hurts me, or to sit by me all night long since he didn't want me to be alone, despite the fact that no one else would know or care but me. I ducked my head so my bangs would hide my eyes and gave his shoulder a little nudge, not even registering when I felt him give. "Silly. Why would I _not_ want to help you?"

"Sometimes," Inuyasha said after a short pause, "People think they're helping when they're not. They think others need to be helped when they don't. I'm not sure I want you to help me anymore."

Instantly, I thought of Kikyo, and my dream, and a kernel of anger simmered hot in my belly. When will he stop comparing me to Kikyo? I looked straight ahead, staring at the well house, my expression tight. "Inuyasha, do you know my name?"

I felt his confusion, but I refused to look at him. Hesitantly, I heard him speak. "Uh… Kagome."

"That's right," I said softly, standing slowly to let the blanket fall at my feet. I looked down at him; taking in his confused face and feeling my own soften. "That's right, Inuyasha. My name is Kagome." I looked back up at the sky and reached my fingers to the clouds, stretching. I repeated again, just so he would understand. "My name is Kagome. My favorite flowers are lilies, and I prefer drinking chocolate milk to anything else. My favorite pastime is to just take a walk instead of staying in one place. I like to watch sunsets, but I never wake up early enough. My favorite ice cream is Rocky Road, and my favorite colors are dark green and blue." I looked down at him, who looked a little wary, as he should.

"I can't exactly afford a car or even food, so I leach off my mom a lot. One time in high school I got so frustrated about a boy following me all the time since he liked my long black hair, I chopped every bit of it off." At his horrified look, I stifled a laugh. "That's right, _all_ of it. It resembles black peach fuzz than anything. I have a little brother named Souta. My Grandfather lives with my mother at home, and they are the only family I have. I love to smile. I love to sing, even though I suck so I stick mainly to just singing in the showers, and I am _not_ a morning person." I took a deep breath to drive in my final point. "Inuyasha, I am _not_ Kikyo. How many times do I have to remind you?"

He jerked back, and I was afraid I might have crossed the line again in mentioning her name. I wouldn't back down, however. After that confrontation with Sesshoumaru, I wasn't going to put up with nonsense. I _so_ was _not_ in the mood. But he didn't retaliate like I thought he would, for he merely sighed and stood up, and since I wasn't wearing heels he stood just high enough to have me crank my head back just the slightest bit. Then he turned and gave me a boyish grin and his ears twitched.

And for some reason my breath hitched and I couldn't move.

"I know that, you stupid girl. What do you take me for?" He leaned forward and chucked me under my chin, and I was so surprised that he actually made contact that I couldn't speak. And then he turned around and disappeared up into the tree.

I stood stock still, his words barely registering; the only thing in my head right now was the image of his face and that boyish little smile, and my heart doing a little flip-flop in my chest. Reality hit me, however, and dread crept in; so stark and cold that I fell back down to the ground so Inuyasha wouldn't be able to see me tremble.

Oh, God, _no_.

I went home, and I merely sat on my bed and stared out of the window that graced a corner of my small apartment, and I tried to talk my way out of whatever the hell came over me sitting underneath the God Tree. It was nothing. I was just feeling the residual effects of the dream, and Kikyo's love. I didn't feel attracted to Inuyasha. I didn't wish he were still alive and I definitely don't wish he was attracted to me!

I am _not_ falling for a dead man!

* * *

"_Stay away from her." The cold voice penetrated my sleep, and as if I woke up, my eyes snapped open and I was sleeping in the inside of what seemed like the well house at the shrine, except it was somewhat shabby and not constructed like normal buildings. I was lying on a tatami mat, and I slowly sat up to hear better._

"_Shut up! You have no idea what she's like, Sesshoumaru!" Inuyasha yelled, and I could just imagine what he must look like. Fists clenched at his sides, standing in a defensive pose, with his teeth bared._

"_This Sesshoumaru knows what she is, and that is enough. She will betray you. All humans do." Sesshoumaru sounded odd to my ears, as if he were younger that what I saw him as the other day. I suppose he was supposed to, since I had a feeling I was dreaming again and most likely five hundred years back into the past. This was really starting to get irritating._

"_And Rin?" Inuyasha sneered. "You think she will betray you? She's just a child. A _human_ child."_

_A low growl, so soft it might have been a purr was heard, and I held my breath. "Rin is not like that miko. Her soul is pure. Already, the stench of that woman's corrupted soul is making itself known. She was never born to be pure."_

"_How would you know?" Inuyasha asked, still angry. "You're a demon. You'd never be able to sense shit like that."_

"_Your ignorance still manages to surprise me, _little brother_." He said that last part like an insult, disgust nearly dripping off his tongue. "Any full blooded demon would be able to smell her corruption. Miko or not, her extended contact with that tainted jewel has already begun to affect her. Did you really think that only demons could be swayed by its power?" He paused, waiting for a response. When he didn't get one, he continued. "You trusted this Sesshoumaru about the jewel. You should trust him now."_

_It was only until he left did I realize how powerful he was, since the area seemed so empty without his aura and power filling it._

_And Inuyasha, damn him, was just as silent as the space he filled._

_//\\_

_The scene changed, and again we were by the God Tree, and I was watching Inuyasha stare at me with incredulity and something else, his mouth open in astonishment and his golden eyes blank with shock. "Kikyo…? How? Why…?"_

_I felt something slick and thick drip down my arms in rivulets, and I dispassionately looked down at the blood soaking my miko garments, and the ripped and torn flesh caused by a demons claws. By _his_ claws. Then I looked up at him, and I was so empty inside, so cold, that I wanted to shiver, but I glared at him instead. He betrayed me. He stole the Shikon no tama and killed me to get it. He never loved me. He never desired me. He was only using me to get to what he really wanted, the jewel. How dare he use me in such a way! Without another word I lifted up my bow and once again readied my bow, letting my holy arrow fly. _

_He didn't even try to resist. He merely stood there, staring at me, even as my arrow pierced his heart and pinned him to the Tree. Even when my magic started taking effect, those golden eyes stared. I walked slowly towards him, feeling what little life I had been granted for this one moment of revenge slipping away. I leaned in close to his face, and those golden eyes that I had once loved followed my movement sluggishly. Any moment now and they would close, sealing him forever. Something dark moved in me though, and I felt a grin twist my face into something that might have been ugly. "You will never escape my hell." I whispered darkly, watching the mercurial emotions flashing in a face that would, in a moment, be forever closed... _

_As his eyes slid slowly shut, I felt myself falling; falling back and hard to the ground with a sick, wet splatter as the rest of my life pooled around me. But I kept my eyes on his, and I wove the last bit of my spell and whispered harshly right before I too, closed my eyes for the last time._

"_Die, Inuyasha!"_

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You know what to do. Just click that little button down there and tell me what you think.

Luna


	8. Chapter 8

Standard disclaimer applies.

You guys are the greatest, truly! I'm so happy people are starting to review more! I know some authors on this web site say that they do not think it is true when people say they don't need reviews to get out a chapter – that is SO totally wrong! Whenever I don't get reviews I think that nobody likes the story, and why should I continue posting a story that nobody likes?

I've only proof read this a couple of times since I was lazy, so please forgive me if there are any errors.

So thank you ALL that reviewed for me! Keep it coming!

* * *

**My Sixth Sense**

**Chapter Eight: Unexpected Help**

**By: Luna

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**

"Okay, Kagome, just close your eyes and relax. Block out all sounds around you and concentrate on the inside, where _she_ is." Miroku spoke soothingly, sitting across from me with his legs crossed and his hands resting on his knees. Sango sat against the wall, so quiet that I almost forgot she was even there in the first place.

Probably making sure her husband kept his hands to himself.

After a few 'accidental' hand brushes against my behind, she kept a hawk eye on him whenever other girls were around. Apparently it was something he did often, especially when he was younger. I had a feeling that it was more just to get a rise out of Sango than to actually cop a feel.

Right now, he was trying to get me to delve into the part of my soul that was still Kikyo's to try and figure out the complexities of the dark spell she wove around Inuyasha, but at the moment meditation proved to be difficult. With a growl, I turned to glare at Inuyasha who sat on the other side of the room while torturing a poor cat Souta had unfortunately brought over. It bore a striking resemblance to Buyo, our old cat, so we named him Buyo the Second.

"Will you cut that out?! How can you even mess with a cat, anyways?!" Sango and Miroku had gotten used to my sudden outbursts when it came to Inuyasha, so they weren't too shocked anymore when they thought I was talking to myself.

Miroku sighed and sipped at his tea. "Cats, in ancient times, were known as the Guardians to the Underworld. It only makes sense that his dead soul would be able to interact with them."

"I'm not dead God damnit!" Inuyasha barked, and the cup in Miroku's hands shattered, spilling shards of pottery and hot tea all over Miroku.

Jumping up, Miroku looked warily around and tried to brush the glass shards off his clothes while Sango ran to get a mop. I stared at the mess with incredulity before turning to Inuyasha, ignoring his dumbfounded expression. "How could you do that? He was just stating something that might help us in the future!" And as a second thought, said "And stop cursing!"

"It wasn't me, bitch!" He yelled, still looking around. His eyes were thoughtful as he searched the room before he finally looked at me again. "Didn't you say that there was another ghost in here?"

My breath caught, and I stared. "Oh my God, you're right. I totally forgot about them! But… you can't see them?" I asked, confused. If Inuyasha was dead, it only stood to reason that he'd be able to see other dead also.

His ears twitched in irritation before he pushed the fat Buyo the Second away, crossing his arms and legs. "No, I can't." He muttered, not looking at me.

I frowned, waiting for Sango and Miroku to get settled before speaking again. "It wasn't Inuyasha. He says there's someone else here."

Sango sat next to Miroku, nervous. "What could it be though? No one has ever recorded a death at this temple before. And if they're angry enough to be destructive, why are they doing it in the first place? Why won't they reveal themselves to you and tell us why they're directing their anger at me and Miroku?"

I tapped my chin thoughtfully, absently humming to myself in thought. "Well… maybe it's not me they want to talk to. Maybe it's you." I watched as Sango looked at her husband, her eyes dark with memories she hadn't shared with me yet. I've never asked her to, but if she wants to get rid of the ghosts plaguing her, she's going to have to start spilling the beans. "Sango… is there something that had happened in your past that would make them not want to leave? You too, Miroku. Is there anything in your past: death in particular?"

While they both grew silent with their secrets, we were interrupted yet again by someone I didn't expect to come here. "Kagome-nee chan!"

I jerked my head to the side and watched as Rin came barreling through the far wall, tears on her ghostly face and her lips trembling. "Rin?! What are you doing here?"

Inuyasha was looking at me strangely, and I realized that he couldn't see her either. Why? What did it mean? I had no time to think since Rin kept trying to grab my hand, desperate to lead me somewhere. "It's Lord Sesshoumaru! Something happened to him! Please help him, please!"

"Something happened to Sesshoumaru?" I asked her, watching as Inuyasha jerked towards me, his golden eyes wide with astonishment. I couldn't concentrate on him though; he was a big boy. Though dead, Rin would always live every day as a little girl who would never grow up. Despite the centuries, her mindset would always be that of a little girl, and now she was worried about the person most precious to her. She would take priority right now. "Okay, Rin-chan. Take me to Lord Sesshoumaru."

It took me a while since we went on foot, but eventually we came across his mansion and I couldn't go any further past the iron gates. Frantic, Rin showed me what numbers to push before leading me straight to what I assumed was the foyer, stopping abruptly when I came across Sesshoumaru passed out in the middle of the floor with a beautiful woman standing over him. She turned to me, and she had red eyes.

Gasping, I took a step back, knowing I was no match for a demon. Her lips twisted a little in disgust before she faced me completely, a feathered fan held in her hand and absently fanned her doll like face. Her hair was black like mine, except it was smooth and flat and pulled back into a bun with two red jeweled sticks arranged artfully, leaving her bangs to fall straight and severe across her smooth brow. She wore a white, slit-up-the thigh Chinese cheongsam with red floral designs, and it hugged her curved figure like a second skin.

When she moved, I was so entranced by the beauty of seeing those graceful curves move under the white dress that I was shocked into looking back into her eyes when she spoke. "What business do you have here?"

There was something dark and mysterious about her, and for some reason her eyes reminded me that of Sesshoumaru. "I was told something was wrong with Sesshoumaru. Why aren't you helping him?"

Those jewel like red eyes looked down at the sprawled out Sesshoumaru and I saw a tenderness there that I hadn't expected. "Don't worry. He'll be fine. How did you get in?"

I was starting to get a little irritated (and just a little out classed), so I cocked a hip and glared at her. "The front gate. I'm a friend of Sesshoumaru's and Inuyasha."

Her eyes widened a fraction at the mention of Inuyasha, and my belly did a quick flip flop when I realized she probably remembered who Inuyasha was. With a sigh, she walked past me, and I smelt the delicate scent of plum blossom. "Follow me. He won't be pleased to find us here with him in such a vulnerable position."

Following her, I wondered just how well she knew Sesshoumaru, and wished I had the courage to ask. Looking back, I saw Rin sitting tearfully next to her Sesshoumaru and staring at me with watery eyes. "Don't worry," I called out to her reassuringly. "He's going to be just fine."

The woman turned her head to me slightly and frowned. "I know he is. Who are you talking to?"

I ignored her until she led me to a library, and she starting pouring herself some sort of dark liquor out of a decanter into a crystal glass. After taking a long swallow, she sighed. "My name is Kagura. How did you come to meet Sesshoumaru? He usually doesn't talk to hum… other people."

I raised a brow to her. "I know he doesn't like humans. I knew his brother Inuyasha."

"Knew?" She a raised her brows in disbelief. "How is that possible? You're a…"

She still seemed hesitant to reveal to me that she's a demon, so I helped her along. "Human, I know. I also know something about Rin and—"

At her look, I stopped and watched as she placed a delicate finger to her lips to shush me. "Quiet. Don't say that name again." Her eyes hardened slowly and she eyed me from head to toe. "You obviously know about us. State your business, human, before I decide the world is better off without you."

I grew angry and tried to put a tamper on my temper; ever since Inuyasha came into the picture my temper seems to be getting out of hand a lot. "Are all you demons alike? Geez, you try and do something nice and you want to kill us. The name-I'm-not-supposed-to-say guided me here, very afraid for her Sesshoumaru."

Kagura eyed me again, finally resting her eyes at my hip before she gasped a little, taking a step back. "You're…!" She seemed scared, which seemed uncharacteristic of her. "Why are you here, miko? Don't tell me you came to purify Sesshoumaru."

O-okay. I was starting to get a little creeped out by this woman and irritated by how confused I was getting. Why did everyone – including Inuyasha – think I was a miko? _Purify_ Sesshoumaru? Does that mean kill him? I shook my head, sighing in exasperation. Why were demons so suspicious? "Will you please just shut up a moment? I was asked to come here since Rin was worried, not to kill him _or_ you."

"What did you say?" A dark voice said behind me, and I shivered in fear.

Slowly, I turned to stare up at Sesshoumaru's dark countenance, laughing a little in fright. "Well hello, Sesshoumaru. Good to see you're doing well."

I looked down at Rin who standing next to him, a beaming smile on her face and all traces of her ghostly tears gone. "Um…" At his low growl (which I think sounded more like a purr) I jerked my eyes back to his and stood my ground even though my knees might have shook a little.

Again, Sesshoumaru asked with his eyes glinting dangerously from under his silver bangs. "_What did you say?_"

Kagura sighed behind me and I lifted my chin. "I said Rin asked me to come. She found you collapsed and ran all the way to my shrine so I could check on you."

I don't know why or what gave it off, but I knew he was going to charge at me and this time he would truly try to kill me, and Kagura wouldn't try to help. Instinctively I raised my hands out in front of me, and when Sesshoumaru _did_ charge, I was surprised when he stopped a couple feet away from me as if he couldn't get any closer, and a light pink film sparked every time he tried. Was that me? I thought dazedly, and tried with all my might to keep it up. If I didn't, I _would_ die today, and Inuyasha would be all alone…

I glared harshly at him, keeping my hands out. "Don't even think about it! It's your fault! You made yourself so sad with her death that she didn't want to go to heaven! She's stayed here with you throughout all these centuries just so you wouldn't get lonely. And now you are going to try and kill the only person who can actually _see_ her? Would you really destroy me – and consequently ruin your brother's only hope of being free – just for the sake of being cruel?"

I didn't need him to answer, I knew the truth. I didn't know if it was Kikyo's knowledge of him or just my intuition, but I knew that he'd even sacrifice his own goals and needs just to inflict a little cruelty. That just seemed to be the type of demon he was. "You would be making a mistake, Sesshoumaru."

Looking away, I slowly dropped my arms since they were getting tired and was relieved when that pink film still seemed to be protecting me. "How could you kill her, Sesshoumaru? She was just a little girl. She was supposed to grow up, get married, and have some babies. Why did you kill her so young? Even Inuyasha knew she was sick, and yet you did nothing to help her until it was too late."

I watched Rin wrap her arms around Sesshoumaru's leg and hold on, even though he didn't know she was there. For once, her doe like eyes were quiet. I think she wanted to know why too, even though she might not like the answer. I continued, talking to myself more than him. "And yet she's stayed with you throughout all these centuries. She's stayed with you. I don't think I'll ever understand." I sighed and turned to leave.

I think sometimes I'm envious of people who were able to fall in love, even if it was in the form of a little girl loving an older man. And Rin _did_ love her Lord. Her eyes sparkled with happiness whenever she spoke his name. Her spirit has been around for over five centuries, and still his name brought joy in a world that was shadowed by gray. Who am I to try and make her go away? She was happy where she was at, and I had no right to take that away. I started to make my way home, hating that I cared so much.

He was probably a father to her, and yet he killed her. Why? Why had it taken him so long to notice? I wished I were able to see what happened, to actually be there five hundred years in the past. But as much as I knew that to most people seeing ghosts was ridiculous, it was also ridiculous even to me to be able to travel back in time to five hundred years in the past. Not even miko's could do that.

Rin had followed me outside and was sitting with me on the bench where I had talked to her first. She had flowers in her hair this time, and I knew it was most likely her projecting an object that had made her happy as a child. Maybe I needed some mental help since I was seeking peace with a dead child, but she was making me feel better, even though no one else could see and thought I was talking to myself.

"Like this?" I asked her, braiding a piece of flower together. She was teaching me how to make a crown of flowers, something I never tried to do when I was younger.

She giggled and motioned with her hands, but it just looked as if she were rotating her fingers and didn't really help me at all. "Just like hair, Kagome-nee chan!"

She started singing about flowers and something called Jaken and Ah Un, and I watched as she braided her own set of flowers. After a while, I finally finished and was a little jealous that hers looked better than the mangled loop I set on my head at her request. Apparently we were now the queens of Edo.

"Rin, do you remember Inuyasha?" I watched the clouds for a moment before I turned to her and watched as her face crinkled in thought.

Then she brightened. "Lord Sesshoumaru's best brother!"

I laughed, thinking that he was probably his only brother and not necessarily his best or favorite. Inuyasha couldn't remember anything about his previous life, and the only thing he does remember when I tried to make think about his brother was hate. "I don't suppose you know what happened to him after he died, do you?"

"Nu-uh. He was with the pretty lady and then one day he's disappeared. Lord Sesshoumaru was worried. Rin heard Lord Sesshoumaru tell Lord Jaken that no one is allowed to kill Inuyasha but him, and then he left us at the castle all by our lonesome to go find him! He came back alone though, so Rin doesn't think he was able to kill Mr. Inuyasha." She started stringing another set of flowers when she cocked her head to the side as if listening. "Lord Sesshoumaru is lonely. Rin's going to go see him. Bye-bye, Kagome-nee-chan!"

She waved at me once before disappearing through the thick walls, and I sighed before I turned back to the clouds and stared at them until my eyes blurred. The world was suddenly more complex and confusing than I had ever imagined, and I couldn't seem to get it back on its original axis. Couldn't I just go back to being the weird Kagome girl who saw ghosts and made a profit off them? Why did these things have to happen?

Then there was this whole Kikyo deal, and it was really starting to wear on me. I wanted to help Inuyasha, I truly did. I also knew that Kikyo was the key to unlocking the mystery. But how could I figure out what happened over five hundred years ago? Kikyo died when she pinned Inuyasha to the tree. Her memories would not help me figure out what happened to Inuyasha after that.

I mean, what happened to his body? Even if he did die pinned to the tree, he was still half demon and I'm partially sure his bones, at least, would still be resting there. If demons like Sesshoumaru and Kagura were still around looking beautiful, I'm sure their bones could stay around just as long once stripped of flesh.

Besides, if I'm correct, Kikyo was still for all intents and purposes a miko. She released her holy arrow and was able to cast a spell around it. I didn't know exactly what kind of spell it was, but if I thought really hard on that last memory of hers that I dreamt, it had something to do about forever. But did her spell only include locking _Inuyasha_ away forever, or just his soul?

I wish I could understand the complexities of their situation. For all of Kikyo's twisted hate, deep inside there was always that warm spot in her heart that told me she would always love Inuyasha, at least in her own twisted way. But I couldn't understand _her_. How could she claim to love a man and then kill him when he refused to change? I'm not an expert about love – I've never fallen in love to know – but I do know that if I loved someone, I'd love them for themselves. If I were to fall in love with someone, I would not want them to change just to fit my idea of normal.

So how could I save Inuyasha when Kikyo was inside me, twisting my emotions and filling my nights with dreams? I was exhausted, and Inuyasha was a very demanding client. Speaking of clients… I needed to head back so me and Miroku could finish our meditation session.

Inuyasha was of course pacing at the top of the stairs. I stared at him in bemusement from the bottom of the stairs, unwilling to go up just yet.

"Kagome!"

"Miss Higurashi."

I turned to both my right and my left, wondering if I should try and find a hiding space. To my right stood Sesshoumaru in all his regal glory, and to my left stood Kouga with a look of hurt pride on his face. Sesshoumaru I was able to ignore slightly, but I ducked my head down guiltily when faced with Kouga. I was surprised though to find both men eyeing each other in recognition.

Sesshoumaru stared down his nose at Kouga. "It's been a couple centuries, wolf."

Kouga laughed nervously and darted his eyes to my shocked face. "Centuries? Dude, I don't know what you're talking about."

"_What?_" I couldn't help that my voice was so high, and I noticed that both men flinched when the sound assaulted their sensitive ears. "You're a demon too?"

"You know about demons?" Kouga asked me, his jaw dropping.

Sesshoumaru sighed in irritation and started walking up the stairs. "I refuse to have this conversation again."

I followed, thinking that Kagura must have talked to him. Kouga followed behind me, and for whatever reason I had a feeling that he was getting nervous. The look on his face suggested trepidation, but intuition told me again that it wasn't because of Sesshoumaru. My skin started prickling a little and I paid more attention to him, since I remembered when I had first met him he mentioned about having a friend called Inuyasha. I don't know how I knew, but I'm positive Kouga knew something that he wasn't saying.

Inuyasha was frozen at the top of the stairs, his eyes on his older brother. With a sudden, vicious growl, he charged at him, getting even angrier when he went right through him. Sesshoumaru paused as if he felt the cold presence of Inuyasha, but shook his head and continued forward until he stood in front of the God Tree, staring up at the spot I knew Inuyasha used to be. He placed a hand on the spot, frowning. "Someone moved him."

"What?" I asked, wondering what he meant. I bravely stood next to him and eyed where he was touching, and remembered the vision of the arrow sticking out of the tree on my very first day at the shrine.

Miroku stepped out of the store room and seemed surprised that I had so many guests here. Before he said anything, a huge gust of wind blew across the courtyard, and we both covered our eyes so they wouldn't get gritty with kicked up sand. Kagura stood next to me, and I jumped in surprise before I laughed. "That's amazing!"

She seemed amused at my awe before she turned to Sesshoumaru. "I've found nothing concerning the half breed."

"That _half breed_ has a name!" Inuyasha growled before he started swiping his claws through Sesshoumaru. It was almost disconcerting how I could see him slash at his older brother and have Sesshoumaru merely stand there with a blank look in his eyes as he stared at the tree.

"Inuyasha, stop that!" I scolded, frowning at him and ignoring the way everyone (besides Miroku) turned to stare at me in surprise.

Inuyasha glared at me. "I'm gonna kill him! The bastard deserves it after trying to kill you!"

Growling, I crossed my arms. "You obviously can't even lay a finger on him, so stop thinking you can suddenly come alive and kill him!"

Sesshoumaru seemed confused when he turned slightly and stared through the spot where Inuyasha stood. "Miko, what are you saying?"

Kouga took a step back. "M-miko? You're a miko, Kagome? How come you're not trying to kill us?"

What? Is that why Kagura seemed scared when she, too, thought I was a miko? Goodness, but if I inspired this much fear in beings so much stronger than me, I'm not going to be one to tell them differently. Maybe it would help protect me better. Miroku just nodded his head at Kouga's assessment, and I was glad he didn't give away the deception.

"It does make sense that you're a miko." I stared at him, wide eyed. _Was_ he going to give me away? "I don't know why you didn't tell me earlier, Kagome."

When I only stared at him, he turned to Kagura. "And who is this lovely young woman?"

Kagura flipped her fan open in a show of haughtiness. "Kagura."

"What a lovely name!" Before I could warn him, he reached for her hand and held it with both of his as if she were the most beautiful of women… which she was, but that was beside the point. "Do you know the history of your name, Kagura-san? There is a famous legendary tale about the sun goddess Amaterasu, who retreated into a cave and brought darkness and cold to the world. Ama-no-Uzume, the goddess of the dawn and of revelry, led the other gods in a wild dance, and persuaded Amaterasu to emerge to see what the ruckus was all about. Kagura began as sacred dances performed by shrine maidens," here, he looked at me with a sly smile. "Other known as miko, like Kagome, who are supposedly descendents of Ama-no-Uzume. They say that is the reason for their holy power, since they are descendents of such a glorious god."

He stepped back hastily when Sango stepped out of the main house. "You should be very proud to carry such a lovely name."

I shoved him aside and looked at Kouga. "Enough with the history lessons. Kouga, did you know Inuyasha?"

Kouga looked around uncomfortably, and Inuyasha just looked at him with confusion. "Uh, a little."

Slowly, Inuyasha shook his head. "I don't remember him."

"Well, you obviously weren't that close. He doesn't remember a thing about you."

Kouga looked a little insulted, but I had to ignore him. Sesshoumaru carried a thoughtful look in his eyes, and I wanted to know what he was thinking. "Sesshoumaru? Do you have an idea?"

"No." He said shortly. "Come Kouga, there is much I need to speak with you about."

As the men left, Kagura stayed and looked at me with a cold gleam in her eyes. "Listen, miko. I told you not to bring up that little girls name in his presence. Don't do it again. It brings him enough heartache that I don't want him to feel."

I met her stare dead on, my head cocked to the side in curiosity. "Are you his lover?"

"No." But her look suggested that she wanted to be, and I knew earlier that the look in her eyes could be called nothing but love.

"I'm sure it's not for lack of trying. But tell me, what was wrong with Sesshoumaru before? Why had he passed out like that?" I asked before she took off.

She hesitated. "He is trying harder than you think to find his brother. He took some kind of potion in an experiment… to see if he would be able to his spirit like you. It obviously didn't work."

When she turned around, I called out to her. "Don't give up on him yet, Kagura! He'll learn to love you to in time."

She paused, but she didn't look around. I don't think she wants me to see the hopeful look in her eyes that barely showed through her voice. "You see this?"

I hesitated before speaking, since I didn't know how I knew. "I sense it."

She disappeared in a gust of wind, and I was alone once again with just Inuyasha. I didn't want to be with him ever since the other day and I started to feel itchy. I didn't like it. He'd only smile at me a certain way and I'd feel feverish suddenly, at it wasn't a feeling I liked. He opened his mouth, but once again was interrupted.

Souta came running out of the house. "Kagome, have you seen Buyo? I haven't been able to find him."

"Where have you seen him last?" I asked, not really caring. Buyo the Second could never top Buyo the First, so I leave all responsibility for him to Souta.

My little brother looked really concerned though, so I'd help him find the fat kitty cat. I saw him messing around the well house, but he wouldn't be as stupid as to go inside. It's too dangerous."

I stared at him. "He's a cat."

Souta frowned back at me. "Cat's are smart."

After a short staring session I sighed and walked with him to the well house, not noticing how Inuyasha didn't follow us. I peered into the dark room and sighed when I heard the faint meowing at the bottom of the dark well, and was glad it had long since dried out. Souta leaned over to try and see the bottom, but all we saw was darkness. Miroku watched from the door way. "I'd be careful if I were you," he warned. "The Bone Eaters Well got its name for a reason."

"Bone Eaters Well? Is that what it's called?" I asked leaning further over the ledge and debating whether or not I should find a ladder or something and head down. Souta was scared of places like this, and he'd never go down there no matter how much he loved the cat.

Miroku frowned at me. "I've told you the history of it before. And don't lean so far over! That well is centuries old."

"Whatever." I said, and instantly regretted it as the ledge gave slightly away, and I found myself falling, falling, falling…

I landed on something soft for the most part, but everything else was jagged and hard. I looked up and saw Souta and Miroku calling me, but for some reason I couldn't hear them even though they were only about thirty feet above me. Then I noticed the blue film that reminded me about the shield that protected me against Sesshoumaru, but I didn't think I was the one causing it this time. I then looked around and nearly fainted at all the grotesque skulls that stared at me through empty sockets, and knew with a gut feeling that they were all demon bones.

Looking up, I tried thinking about something other than the nasty skulls surrounding me, and then realized that I was still sitting on something soft, and tried to get up so I can look at whatever it was better. But my foot got hooked on a demon rib cage, and I fell face down once again. When I opened my eyes, no one could have been more surprised that I when I stared down at the handsome – and very much alive, body of the half demon Inuyasha.

After that, all I remember is screaming.

///\\\

Review please!

Luna


	9. Chapter 9

Standard disclaimer applies.

Thank you ALL that reviewed for me! I love every single one of you! Keep it coming!

This chapter is dedicated to _**sugarsweet pie**_! You are so freaking awesome! I loved all your reviews! You totally gave me some ideas, and I'll try to answer some of your questions throughout the chapter. I loved what you wrote, but don't go expecting a soap opera drama! … well, not _too_ much, anyways.

I got the history you asked about off of wikipedia . com – it's one of my favorite sites on the web, but I wouldn't look there if you want total and complete accuracy. It's also a place where just about anybody can post up (appropriate) material on any kind of subject they want. Still, I go there when I need to since (believe it or not) stuff about the anime is on there and when I need questions answered, it's the best place for me to go.

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**My Sixth Sense**

**Chapter Nine: Sleeping Beauty**

**By: Luna

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I was hyperventilating while trying desperately to continue screaming over and over again and it was only after a while that I realized that the only one who could hear my gasping screams was me, and it would be pointless to waste my breath and hurt my throat. So I stopped, closed my eyes, and took a few deep breaths. I opened them again. Nope, Inuyasha's body hadn't disappeared.

I went back to hyperventilating.

Ok, okay. Think! What on earth is Inuyasha's body doing here? Was it – was _he_ – alive? Maybe I should touch him, but I was too busy hyperventilating to think about moving my arms or legs or any of my other appendages anywhere near the sprawled out body. I was standing pressed tightly against the wall of the well, doing everything in my power _not_ to touch him. I closed my eyes and tried to steady my heart before I forced them open again and saw what I already knew him to look like.

The bare, clawed feet. The red outfit. The bloodstains over his heart. The clawed hands. The white hair. The ruggedly handsome face, now relaxed in what looked to be sleep. Those cute little puppy ears. His strong shoulders, his strong arms…

Without meaning to, my eyes went back his ears and I took a quick glance up, watching Souta looking down in the darkness where I knew he couldn't see me and Miroku yelling to someone in the background, probably for rope. Well, it had _better_ be for rope! I looked down at Inuyasha and cursed myself when curiosity got the best of me. I inched my foot forward while the rest of me stayed plastered up against the wall and nudged his foot.

Nothing.

I nudged it again, and when nothing happened, peeled myself off the wall and kicked away some of the bones so I could kneel next to him, my eyes hungry on his ears. They were so cute! And _fuzzy_. I wanted to giggle like a school girl, but luckily restrained myself just in time _just in case_ he could actually hear me. That, and I feared the giggle would turn to one of hysteria, and that was something I didn't need right now.

But his ears, now those were something that I would be able to focus on and keep the hysterical bubble of laughter that I wanted to release but knew would most likely be inappropriate. Were his ears as soft as I imagined? I couldn't take my eyes off them. They always twitched and moved and flicked and just looked too damn cute to ignore on Inuyasha's ghostly head, but I'm not able to touch those ones. Besides, Inuyasha wasn't _really_ here anyways… right?

I peered into his face to make sure.

Nothing. Not even a twitch.

Slowly, I reached out and touched his smooth cheek and feared that it would be cold – and if it was cold, I sure as hell wasn't going to go near his ears, no matter how cute they were – and the relief I felt when I touched warm _alive_ skin left me trembling. But why? Why was his cheek so warm? He wasn't even breathing, was he? I stared at his chest, and for the life of me I couldn't tell whether or not it rose or fell. But his skin was warm. _Warm!_ He has to be alive! But if that was the case… why couldn't I see him breathing? My hand was right over his mouth, and I couldn't feel even the slightest stirring of breath.

I ached inside; I never really understood how much I wanted Inuyasha to be alive until I was faced with the real possibility that he was really dead. In fact, I hadn't even known I'd _wanted_ him to be alive; that I wanted to believe what both he and Sesshoumaru told me, but it just seemed too good to be true. And when things seemed too good to be true… they probably were. But since I was sitting here with evidence that Inuyasha was here, _right here!_ and warm underneath my fingertips, my chest was aching with hidden hope.

Oh, damn, _damn_ my foolish heart…

I trailed my hands down his cheeks to his lips, curiosity no longer my motivation to touch him. I traced the curve of his jaw and down his straight nose, then up and over and smoothed his brows with the lightest of touches. I ran my fingers through his bangs, then lightly ran a tip down the soft line of his ears. It was so soft and smooth like velvet, and I did it again because it pleased me. He really did have the most beautiful body, and such strong masculine features. My heart stuttered a little when I peered into his face and waited for him to wake up, as if my touch were enough to break the spell.

When I started to run my hands down his throat to his chest I stopped, thinking that this would be worse than rape. The blood stains on his chest drew my eyes, and I frowned and hesitantly pulled apart his shirt. Oh my God! I gasped in horror when his chest wound still gaped open and raw, but thankfully it wasn't bleeding. How can this be? He's been lying here for five hundred years, and if I'm not mistaken, it looked as if someone had torn him from the tree and chucked him down here unceremoniously, possibly in a hurry, but I didn't know why.

Then again, maybe whoever it had been merely tried to protect him. Five hundred years, pinned in one place? Demons would've eaten him alive, and even if they didn't, humans would have kept him around for experimentation and would have mutilated his beautiful body. Tears filled my eyes, and I watched silently as they fell on his chest. Oh, damn, damn Inuyasha! Why did he have to appear and do this to me? Why, out of everyone that I could have possibly chose from, why did I choose Inuyasha?

Dread filled me too much to ignore, and I didn't know if this adventure of mine would have a happy ending. How can I? The man I'm in love with is possibly dead and the minute I end the enchantment I risk sending him to heaven and losing him forever. And if I send him to heaven… that means I'll never see him again in this life. But I have to do it. I am not a cruel person. Unlike Kikyo who forced him to stay in this single area for hundreds of years, if I found a way to break the spell I _will_ break it. Kikyo might have loved/hated him enough to keep him on this plain of existence, but I love him enough to want to set him free. And Kikyo... well, what about Kikyo? If he dies, will he be joined with _her_?

I…

"I will not leave him, Kikyo." I whispered, watching to see if Inuyasha's ears might twitch in his sleep. "You loved him. I know you loved him. But this time he's mine. I'm not a demon, so I know I won't live forever, but I'll make sure I bring him as much happiness as I can _while_ I can, and there is nothing you can do to stop me."

I waited for the world to stop spinning and to have Kikyo jump out at me from the shadows with a bow an arrow, or maybe even a medieval pitch fork to literally stake her claim on him while blasting me to wherever, but all was silent. It was just me and Inuyasha, and I was still alone.

What am I supposed to do? I'm so afraid of what could happen if I moved his body away. If I were to send him away to the next life, I wanted the chance to say goodbye.

So as I waited for Miroku and Souta to come and save me, I laid my head on his chest and wept.

\\\\\/////

I jerked myself awake when I realized I was _not_ horizontal! I stared stupidly as Inuyasha's body got slightly smaller and smaller until the light got thinner and thinner until I could no longer see him through the darkness. Then I was roughly grabbed around my waist and hoisted off of whatever I had been lounging over like a sack of potatoes. Only when I heard Souta yelp (he obviously did the hoisting) and my head cracked up against the wall of the hut did I snap fully awake enough to groan.

"Geez, Souta, you need to gain some manly muscles." I eyed Miroku climbing out the rest of the way outside the well and pointed a finger at him. "Like Miroku. See how manly he is? He didn't drop me at all."

"I'm only fifteen!" Souta glared at me. "And what do you mean 'like Miroku?!' He almost dropped you four times! And that would have hurt a whole lot more!"

"Now, now, dear boy, was there any real reason to tell her that?" Miroku grunted when his toe hit the rim of the well and he stumbled a little. Sango appeared in the doorway, her brows creased with worry and her arms filled with ice packs and water bottles. She handed him a bottle of water, which he smiled wearily at her in thanks and watched as she turned to me, his eyes soft with affection. I looked away.

"Are you okay, Kagome? Miroku had yelled to the top that you didn't break anything, and I swear I thought he was lying. But you seem fine." She was frowning with a confused look on her face. "But how is that possible? You fell at least thirty feet – face down!"

Hm, that _was_ a good question. I hadn't even thought about it at the time, but I really had no idea why I wasn't hurt. Shouldn't I have at least a bump on the head or sprained my wrists when I braced for the fall? "I'm fine. And if Miroku was down there…" I trailed off and met his grim eyes and knew he saw the same thing I had. It wasn't a dream. "You've seen him."

"Seen him? Seen who?" Sango asked, pressing a cold pack against the bump on my head Souta caused by dropping me.

I hesitated, taking my time to unscrew the water bottle and taking a long swig before I met her eyes. "Inuyasha." I murmured, taking the cold pack from her. "I've found Inuyasha."

Her automatic action was to crinkle her nose and grimace. "Ew. You mean his… his corpse?"

Again I hesitated and met Miroku's eyes. "No. I found his body. And it was very much alive."

The silence made my skin crawl, and I stared determinedly down at my lap since I didn't want to see their reactions. Finally, I heard Souta choke out, "How?"

I shrugged, uneasy. I couldn't explain my reaction at the moment, but my head was starting to feel fuzzy. Could it have been caused by falling down the well? "I don't know. There's an enchantment around him, one I somehow… I don't know, _recognize_. It was something I was able to do the second time Sesshoumaru tried to kill me."

"_What?!_"

This was spoken by all three of them nearly in sync, and I blinked in surprise and stared at them in confusion. "What, I didn't tell you? That's why I left the other day, because Rin – who is a cute little girl who has been following him around for the past five hundred years – was worried about him and I was the only one who would be able to help him. He's very sensitive whenever her name is mentioned and didn't like the fact that I had said it in his presence; hence, why he wanted to kill me."

They still stared at me with blank, expectant faces, and I felt a twinge of annoyance. Wasn't there something else we should be focusing on? "I knew he was going to attack me. I don't know how I knew, but I knew. And the only thing I could think of was to keep him away, and I held out my hands to block him. Then, viola, a pink shield circled around me and he couldn't get near because it burned him. That barrier down there was blue, but I don't know what that means."

Miroku stared down at his water in contemplation before addressing everyone again. "Well…my theory is very simple: it was made by someone else, so that's why its color was different. Your aura must be pink, Kagome, and whoever put up that shield was blue." Then he shrugged wryly. "But that is just a theory."

Souta sighed and sat down next to me and slumped against the wall. Then he jerked up suddenly and cried, "Buyo!"

I rolled my eyes and relaxed my suddenly stiff muscles. Stupid little brother. Why would he yell something out like that at such a moment? "He wasn't down there. Sorry, Souta."

Just then a meow came from the doorway and Buyo himself peaked around the corner.

Just because I was feeling ill tempered, I threw my ice pack at him and watched as Souta scrambled after him after he shot me an angry expletive.

"Don't use that language!" I called after him, feeling better. I probably should feel bad, but I didn't. In fact, I think I was feeling a little better. But then again, I've always preferred dogs…

"Uh, Kagome?" Souta called from outside, and his voice was so apprehensive that I was immediately worried. I gratefully accepted Sango's hand to help me up. We hurried outside to find Sesshoumaru, Kagura, and Kouga standing in the court yard. I could see why Souta would be so nervous, since both Kagura and Sesshoumaru were glaring at him with cold eyes while Kouga just stood there looking like he didn't want to be anywhere near this place.

"Souta, put down that cat, you're squeezing the poor thing to death." I walked until I stood partially in front of Souta in an unconscious gesture of protection and smiled at them. "Good news. I've found Inuyasha."

All three eyes jerked towards me and my smile widened. I would have said something, but Kouga interrupted me. "See? The body was where I put it, can I go now?"

Sesshoumaru's glare, thankfully, was not directed at me. If it was, I'm sure my skin would be crawling with more than just goose bumps. But then his words registered. "Wait, wait, wait! Where _you_ put it? Er, I mean _him_?"

Kouga flinched and shifted uncomfortably but didn't say anything. Sesshoumaru seemed disgusted with him and turned his golden eyes to mine, and I blinked at the intensity of his gaze.

"…_Rin heard Lord Sesshoumaru tell Lord Jaken that no one is allowed to kill Inuyasha but him…"_

I regarded Sesshoumaru seriously, remembering what Rin had told me. Could Sesshoumaru actually care for his brother…?

"Only this Sesshoumaru has the right to kill Inuyasha. This fool nearly stole my right when he removed Inuyasha."

Or maybe he didn't.

But at least he was here helping. That meant something, right?

As I was shaking my head in disbelief, Kagura felt the need to inform me in her I'm-so-superior tone of voice, the meaning behind Sesshoumaru's motives. "Stupid human. When a daiyoukai such as Sesshoumaru claims first the life of his opponent, no one else has the right to kill Inuyasha before him. He has taken the first right to Inuyasha's death by his own hand, and at his choice of the time and place." She shot a contemptuous glare at Kouga and tilted her chin up just enough so she could look down her nose at him. I almost envied her that ability. "Kouga is lucky to even be alive. By moving Inuyasha, Kouga infringed on Sesshoumaru's right to kill him."

Sesshoumaru narrowed his eyes at her, and I understood why she suddenly clammed up. The kind of presence Sesshoumaru held was almost frightening. "Quiet, Kagura. She will never understand youkai ways. Of our rights, and our rights over others. _Especially_ my right over others."

My eyes widened when I saw a light pink blush cover her cheeks before she looked away. Good for her. But at the same time, I think I'm starting to understand why it took her so long to get together with him. It probably took him five hundred years just so he could get over himself! He rarely spoke, but when he did I always got the sense that he was talking down to me, as if I were nothing. It was disconcerting, to say the least.

I sighed, wondering how to go about this without stepping on toes. "Can someone please start from the beginning? I'd like to know everything I possibly can."

While Kouga collected himself, I looked around for Inuyasha and wondered where he was since I knew that he would be happy with our progress. Kouga sighed, and I looked at him again and feeling very, very tired. "Me and Inuyasha used to be rivals back when we… well, I guess back when _I _was young. Friendly rivals," he assured me when I shot him a look. "and sometimes even friends."

"Around that time there used to be a human named Onigumo who was power hungry and jealous of us demons. I don't know how he did it, but he used some sort of magic to make him into a hanyou, like Inuyasha, only Inuyasha would be the only original." He waited to see if either Sesshoumaru or Kagura would like to add anything. When they only continued to glare, he went on. "It was said that Inuyasha is in possession of a powerful fang – his fathers, and it supposedly had the strength of a hundred or so demons put together. Onigumo wanted it." His eyes slid to Sesshoumaru. "And he wasn't the only one. He was going to kill Inuyasha to get it, and it wouldn't be right if he died like that."

He shrugged, pretending as if he wasn't affected by the cold stares coming his way. "I panicked. Hell, he was still _warm_, Kagome. I couldn't let that poser rip out Dog Turd's eye if he was still alive. So I grabbed that bitch's sister and convinced her to put up a barrier around Inuyasha after I threw him in the well."

"Wait, who's sister?" I asked even though I had a pretty good idea.

"The priestess he was with. The girl was barely even into her powers yet, but she was able to do it." Again, he shrugged carelessly. "I think she died from it, but who cares."

Looking very pleased with himself, he said, "To disguise the scent of where I hid him, I lured a bunch of foot soldiers into the clearing and my pack and I engaged them in an easy battle, completely slaughtering them and making sure their blood soaked _everything_."

A tingle started at the back of my neck, and I wondered what I should be remembering. Something about Inuyasha's eye and Sesshoumaru… or maybe it was… no, I couldn't remember. Since I couldn't remember, I dismissed the thought for later.

I wondered if Inuyasha had such a careless view of the lives of humans too, and I hoped not. So I pushed aside Kouga's words and rubbed my temples. The fuzzy feeling I had in my head ever since waking up from the bottom of the well was developing into a full out migraine. "Okay… but that doesn't explain the state of his body. You all have physically aged somewhat, haven't you?"

They looked so insulted that I had to gulp down that laugh that bubbled up. After all, I didn't want them to try and kill me out of misplaced vanity. "What I mean is, you aren't in the same shape you were in five hundred years ago. You aged, you got stronger, you adapted. I saw Inuyasha's body. He didn't look any older than twenty."

Which suddenly made me wonder if _I_ would be the one robbing cradle. Hypothetically speaking, of course.

I mean, I was only twenty two so I technically wouldn't be that older than him but... Er, yeah, anyways. "If he's hanyou, that means he's part human too, isn't he? He would have aged. Maybe even looked like you, Sesshoumaru." That was _not_ the right thing to say, for low growling suddenly filled the small clearing coming from somewhere deep within Sesshoumaru's chest. I laughed nervously, thinking that I might have once again insulted his vanity, "But not as good looking! I swear!"

Shaking my head, I hurried to continue before I lost my train of thought. "What if Kikyo's enchantment kept him… I don't know, forever young or something. Like Sleeping Beauty!"

While Kagura snorted over that, Sesshoumaru's eyes calmed down and the growling stopped. Instead, he looked thoughtfully at the well house. I wondered what he was thinking but didn't dare to ask that, so instead I went along with my questions. "What about the arrow Kikyo shot him with?"

Kagura's lip curled back and she turned towards the shrine steps. "This is a waste of my time." She glanced over at Sesshoumaru and something in his face must have told her something, for she hesitated and said, "Hurry up and finish your tale, wolf."

"Onigumo took it. Don't know what he'd use it for, though. And honestly, after the battle I couldn't really tell which one was her arrow and which one wasn't."

Again, that tingle brushed up against the nape of my neck, and suddenly I remembered something.

…_For before me, instead of the peaceful scenery of a shrine, I saw blood… _

_It looked like a battle had raged here, for broken arrows were strung across the courtyard along with other type of wicked weapons. I heard yelling and I looked further beyond, and above the houses I saw a huge tree looming against the darkened sky…_

Oh my God. That vision given to me so long ago came flooding back to me in waves so strong I wanted to wretch, because now I was standing in the middle of it all and I could _smell_ it, _feel_ the thickness of death in the air. I must have stumbled, for somebody grasped my upper arms and gave me a firm shake, but I was too caught up in the throes of the renewed vision that I shook free and blindly faced the God Tree.

There was a man there. He had long wavy hair that fell like a black web down a narrow back, and I warily eyed the spider scar that seemed to be burned into his skin. He yanked out an arrow from the tree, and with dread I knew it was Kikyo's arrow. How could he touch it? If miko power was so feared by demons, shouldn't an arrow infused with miko powers be harmful to even a half demon? Or maybe the fact that he had once been human and therefore could never _truly_ be a real demon – or even a half demon, for that matter.

So what exactly was he?

He turned, and I gasped in shock, but I wouldn't allow myself to stumble; I didn't want to fall in the blood and on the bodies. He had a cruel face. That was the only thing that I could say or think about him, for the rest of his features didn't really seem to register except for the fact that his face spoke of cruelty. His skin was pale, but I couldn't tell what color his eyes were except they were dark and very, very cold. I stepped back once more, for those eyes of his were staring directly at me while his thin, bloodless lips curled into a nasty smile.

I don't know what it was, but there was something in that look that made me feel dirty. He turned completely towards me and took a step forward.

I reacted. My body heated up in automatic defense and a crackling pink shield surrounded me and expanded throughout the clearing, and I heard someone cry out in pain. If it was me, I didn't know, but all I wanted him to do right now was _go away! _

"Kagome!" I heard someone cry out, and suddenly my head was jerked to the side with the force of a slap, and I blinked and stared stupidly at Sango's face creased with worry. "Kagome, stop it!"

I looked around and saw the three demons that were once around me suddenly more than fifty feet away and standing in defensive postures. Kagura (for whatever reason unknown to me) had her fan out, Sesshoumaru's fingernails were glowing suspiciously green, and Kouga had his fists up. I blinked at them. "What on earth are you guys doing?"

Kagura relaxed first with a condescending sneer on her face. "Have you no control of your powers? You nearly purified us!"

That pink shield. My body heating up. Were those my miko powers? I tried thinking back to any time that I might have felt that way. Twice. Both times when Sesshoumaru tried to kill me. Does that mean my powers only react when I'm in danger? How irritating. What use were awesome powers if one had no control over them? I sighed in frustration and shrugged out of Sango's death grip on me. "No, no, it was Onigumo I thought I was protecting myself from. Kouga's words brought back a memory…"

A memory.

Wait a minute... a _memory_?

My eyes widened and I couldn't breathe for a moment. Sango watched me warily while the three demons approached me once again, and Miroku narrowed his eyes. "What is it, Kagome?"

"That… that memory…" I whispered, shaken. I looked into Sesshoumaru's eyes since he seemed to be the only one with the most knowledge. Or maybe I looked at him since Inuyasha wasn't there, and they looked so very much alike. I swallowed hard and forced the words out. "It wasn't _mine_."

But if it wasn't mine... whose was it?

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We're winding down to the finish! Please press that little button down there and let me know what you think!

ALL questions you have just put it in the review and I'll try to incorporate it into the final chapters.

Luna

A/N: You know, while going through wikipedia again I was reading up on Sesshoumaru. Let me tell you, I am truly impressed. In the manga (not in the anime, it deviates too much) Sesshoumaru is as close to a living God than anyone else in the entire series. He is truly the most amazing character I've come across. Now I know what Naraku meant when he called Sesshoumaru the "perfect demon". I think I may have just discovered my new favorite character...


	10. Chapter 10

Standard disclaimer applies.

Rated M for Language.

I thought I'd be able to wrap it up in this last chapter, but while I read through the entire story (to help motivate me to write another chapter and get in the mood of the story) I realized that it just wasn't possible. There are things that I want to weave into it, so it'll probably go on a few more chapters before the end… SO REVIEW LIKE CRAZY!

**My Sixth Sense**

**Chapter Ten: Acceptance **

**By: Luna**

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No, it wasn't mine.

It was _hers_.

What did it mean? How could her memories… be mine? Inuyasha said something about her being my… what? If I wanted to be verbatim, Inuyasha said I was "fucking her" and that didn't sound decent at all. So basically in other (more appropriate) words I was her… Reincarnation? Is that really possible? I sighed and dropped my eyes from Sesshoumaru's to stare at the ground made blurry by my tears.

Yeah, reincarnation really can't be possible from a girl who sees ghosts and is talking to three real live demons at this very moment.

Reincarnation? Only an idiot would believe in that crap.

I would have laughed, but I don't think anyone else would share my humor.

I turned, and Souta seemed so shocked that his arms loosened up and Buyo fell with a splat on the concrete. He hissed at the three demons, then at Souta and myself before running off as fast as his chubby little legs would allow and this time Souta didn't go after him. He was too busy staring at me worriedly, indecision in his eyes. I smiled wearily at him as I passed so I could sit underneath the God Tree, ignoring the shiver that made its way up my spine since I knew _he_ had been here, too. Onigumo? Or someone else?

I opened my hands palms up and stared down at them, wondering why this was happening to me. Am I really that unlucky? First I had the misfortune of seeing ghosts as a child and grew up invariably damaged since I was never able to grow up normally. Secondly, I couldn't even pass high school with well enough grades to be accepted at a good university, so my job options were pretty much narrowed down to zilch. Thirdly, so far I've been having hallucinations caused by a five hundred year old priestess who, for some reason or another, turned evil in the last years of her life and tried to kill a man that had loved her. Oh, yeah, and she's me. Or, I should say I'm her. Fourthly, I've had that said man-slash-demon try to kill me within the first day of actually speaking with him, and fifthly I had that man-slash-demon's semi evil older brother try to kill me. Twice.

I'm almost afraid to ask the question but… what else could possibly happen to me now?

"What was the vision about that had you reacting to it so harshly?" Kouga asked, looking as if he was disgruntled that I almost killed him. I pouted back at him in retaliation. I already told him it was an accident!

"I was standing by the well. Or rather, she was standing by the well." I didn't look up from my hands since they were so easy to focus on. Otherwise, I'd start thinking they were _my_ memories like I had gotten confused the other times I've seen them, and this was too important for me to blur dreams with reality.

I continued on in a whisper, my stomach twisting as I remembered. "There was so much blood. Everywhere. Dripping from the trees, the grass, the well… there weren't any bodies, but I didn't feel any curiosity about why. I think she knew where they were."

"Yeah, my men ate 'em." Kouga said, and my stomach twisted again, this time in disgust. Thank God I never kissed the guy. How disgusting.

"I guess. But I was staring at that guy… Onigumo, you called him? He ripped out the arrow and turned to me." I shuddered, remember his expression. Looking up, I searched for Inuyasha. Where was he when I needed him? "There was something in the way he looked at me. Intimate, almost, but it made me feel dirty. _Me_, not her. I don't know what kind of relationship they had together."

"Her?" Kagura asked with a raised brow. When I looked up, she was standing close next to Sesshoumaru with her hip cocked and her brow raised. She looked utterly bored and irritated about it.

I swallowed hard for a moment before I was able to say her name. "Kikyo."

Sesshoumaru's eyes narrowed minutely, and I remembered that he had once warned Inuyasha against her. I cocked my head to the side and studied him. "You remember her, don't you?" I forced the next words out, angry that they were even true. "I'm her reincarnation. I'm surprised you haven't tried to kill me yet..."

Well, not seriously. I think that if he really wanted to kill me he would have bypassed my miko barrier, and quite easily at that. Sesshoumaru's presence was so overwhelming that I doubted anything could stop him from getting whatever it was he truly wanted. "Inuyasha automatically assumed I was her when we first met."

The demon snorted and looked briefly away. "Only a fool would confuse you with that weakling. You are nothing alike."

I stared at him in shock while Kagura went still and studied Sesshoumaru's face, then glared at me in accusation. What did she think I was going to do? Jump him after he paid me one measly compliment? Sure the man was hot, but way too cold if you catch my drift. "Thank you, Sesshoumaru."

Looking up, I was disappointed when I didn't see Inuyasha in his usual spot high in the tree. "But that doesn't explain why I saw that. Or why I even remembered it. Lately, ever since I found Inuyasha I mean, she's becoming ever more… what's the word… _present_ in my subconscious. Almost as if she's something alive and is trying to take over."

"Maybe she's trying to help you?" Miroku asked.

That thought never occurred to me. I stared at him. "Help me? Why would she do that? She's the one that started this whole thing!"

"She may be feeling guilty now." Miroku shrugged and crossed his arms. "You did say she was becoming more aware."

I remembered that time with the mirror, how cold her gaze had been as she stared into mine as if in silent accusation… I shook my head. "No. I don't think so. It's something else. I think she may be just upset that we're messing with her spell more than anything."

"I'm sorry to be asking this of you, but you have more connections than I do, and I'm positive you have better senses than me." I looked up at Kagura and Sesshoumaru and stood slowly so I can give them a proper, respectful bow. "Please find anything you possibly can about Onigumo. I think you are the only ones that could possibly help me in this."

"Well, I think I'll be going now." Kouga said and started to step away, and I shot him an annoyed glance and stepped in front of him once I straightened. "You aren't going anywhere, Kouga."

"What? What can I possibly do?"

I narrowed my eyes at him. "Why are you being such a coward? You are going to help no matter what since you're the one that got us into this mess."

"Me?!"

"I have a feeling that Sesshoumaru wouldn't have allowed Inuyasha to die like that." With a sigh I rubbed my forehead wearily before tipping my head back and looked at him from under my lashes. I thought Kouga was supposed to be Inuyasha's friend! "You'll help _me _at least, won't you Kouga?"

He shifted on his feet uneasily and scratched the back of his head. "Well, I guess I'll stay and help. Just for you, Kagome."

I smiled while Sesshoumaru snorted in disgust. I think I heard him mutter something rude, and my smile turned genuine in humor. "I'm serious everyone. Thank you."

"We will find Onigumo for our own reasons, girl." Sesshoumaru said coolly. He turned his eyes towards his companion. "Kagura, we're leaving."

I don't think he's ever said 'we' as in "Sesshoumaru and Kagura" for she reacted when he addressed her personally, and stood staring at his back when he turned to leave. Sesshoumaru was already half way down the steps before I reached out and touched her arm and waited until she turned to me before smiling. "I told you, Kagura. You two will be just fine."

Something akin to warmth passed through her eyes before she shrugged away from my touch and followed Sesshoumaru. I'm glad. She most likely has stayed by his side throughout all theses centuries; after Rin's death, after Inuyasha's… disappearance, and most likely after every hardship he might have dealt with. Because she loved him. We might never be friends, I thought with a smile, but at least she'll be one demon who won't try to kill me any time soon. Hopefully never.

I turned to everyone else with a determined look on my face. "Kouga! Can you please use your connections to find as much as you can?" I hesitated only a moment. "I'd like this to end as quickly as possible, Kouga-kun. I'm afraid of what would happen if it doesn't."

That wasn't a lie. I didn't know what would happen to me or to Inuyasha, and I was scared. I am so thankful that I've found so many people to back me up.

"Sure thing, Kagome." He said confidently. As he too turned to leave he winked at me from over his shoulder. "This means you have to go on a date with me after this! And somewhere you really like too!"

He disappeared before I could protest. Not like I would, anyways. If he can help me get rid of this and all he wants is a date in return then, well, who am I to complain? I turned to Souta next. "Souta, please go home. I have a feeling this will get dangerous and I don't want you involved more than necessary." My gaze softened why he looked unsure and I ruffled his hair in affection. "Don't worry, kid. I'll pay you double the next job we get, how's that?"

He smiled and ran off. When I finally turned to Miroku and Sango they were smiling. "We know, Kagome-chan." Sango said. "We'll leave. We know when you want to be alone. To talk with Inuyasha, right?"

Well, as soon as he shows up anyways. "Right. I really appreciate it. I just need time to think this through alone for a while and sort everything out. Inuyasha is the only one who will really talk to me about the past."

Once I was finally alone I searched everywhere for him. Where was he? I looked throughout the house, the relic rooms, the store houses, even the well house all over again, and still I couldn't find Inuyasha. I sat once more underneath the God Tree, this time sitting on the side where it wasn't facing the courtyard so others wouldn't be able to see me, and finally allowed myself to curl up into a ball and rest my head on my knees, rocking myself back and forth like a child.

I was scared.

She was there, just there on the other side of my soul, and I knew she was aware of everything I was doing. It was almost as if she owned a piece of my soul, and she would never leave me alone until we finished this. I walked slowly back to the well house and down the ladder Miroku never bothered to put away, and didn't stop until I was able to sit by Inuyasha's side. I stared down into his face, peaceful with sleep, and resisted the urge to touch him. Instead, I once again curled my knees up and rested my head against my knees so I was still able to stare at him.

"Inuyasha," I whispered hoarsely. "Where _are_ you?"

I was hoping he would appear like they do in movies after phrases like that, but he didn't, and I was left alone with my fear.

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"So you're saying that there aren't really a whole lot of demons around anymore?" I asked, idly sipping at my strawberry shake.

Kouga grunted and squirted ketchup beside his pile of fries. "Yeah, but not exactly by will. We've simply just… faded out, I guess. The bloodlines get diluted until it's so thin that you can't tell if they were originally human or hanyou. For some reason, ever since Inuyasha's wench ordered her body cremated humans stopped hating demons, and vice versa. Both sides just got tired of fighting one day so they stopped. After a while demons got better at hiding and humans got bored and started wars amongst themselves, and after that it only took a few hundred years for humans to forget we ever existed in the first place."

His face twisted into a bitter smile. "Now, we're just _fairy tales_. Things that go bump in the night to scare children into behaving themselves."

My face softened in sympathy and I reached across the dining room table to cover his hand – I don't think he realized how tightly he was clenching it. "Though I can't understand to the full extent, I know how it feels to be the only one of my 'kind'."

"Of course," Kouga scoffed. "you're one of a kind. No one can be you." I knew he was genuine because he blinked in surprise once he realized what he said, and he leaned forward and turned his wrist so that he was grasping her hand and got a smug smile on his face to cover his words. "See? We're just destined for one another."

I laughed and squeezed his hand back because, truly, I did like him. Kouga was rough around the edges and often times clumsy with words, making him sometimes sound either too dumb or too dense, but at least he was cute while doing it. "Sorry Kouga, but I think I'm taken."

Kouga frowned, letting go of my hand so he could pick up his burger. "By who? Don't tell me it's Inu-koro."

When I averted my eyes and sucked down more shake, Kouga barked out a laugh. "You have got to be kidding me. He's _dead_, Kagome. Why is it so hard to choose between a live man and a dead one?"

I sighed and gave up on my shake and pushed it away and snagged one of Kouga's fries. "Ironic, isn't it?" I asked softly. "But he's not dead, Kouga. At least, I don't think he is. He _can't_ be."

Kouga watched me with serious eyes as he finished the last of his burger. He ran a strong hand through his hair, his fingers catching on his tiny ponytail. "Yeah well, I'll wait until you find out he's dead, _then_ you'll be my woman!"

Laughing, I stole another one of his fries and slid my shake back so I could slurp the rest down. "Yeah, yeah, but don't hold your breath."

After he paid for the meal and my shake, he led me down the sidewalk towards the docks telling me in great detail (and exaggeration, I'm sure) about the last five hundred years and the things he had to do to survive. I knew where parts of the story were serious because his eyes would get quiet and his voice would take on a certain type of seriousness that didn't seem to belong on his face, and then he'd make a joke and pretend as if his memories weren't bothering him.

Why didn't I choose him? I wondered as I watched how the sun made his pretty blue eyes seem lighter, and only emphasized his healthy tan skin and dark hair. He really was a good looking guy and at least with him I'd actually be able to touch him, feel him touch me… I shook the fantasy out of my head when I started imagining Inuyasha touching me, Inuyasha feeling me all over. My face was often expressive, and I definitely didn't need Kouga knowing what I was thinking at the moment!

And, truth be told, I'm not even sure why I liked Inuyasha in the first place. He scared me, called me mean names, tried to _kill_ me for God's sake, and then… well, then he smiled at me _just so_ and my heart went pitter patter and that was that. I groaned inaudibly at the fact that I rhyme with myself, and instead tried to force all thoughts away.

"So who are we seeing here anyways?"

"An old girlfriend of mine," Kouga said with a resigned sigh. "You'd better be feeling really grateful to me, because if it weren't for you I'd have ignored this woman like my life depended on it."

"Why?" I asked, perplexed. The answer came seconds later as I heard a high pitched squeal and a blur of red pushing me rudely aside to attach itself onto Kouga's arm.

"Kouga-sama! It's been so long since you've come and seen me. Where have you been? _How_ have you been? And," her green eyes turned to glare at me with hatred. "who is _she_?"

Human or demon, jealousy was green no matter who wore it. I sighed and put my hands in my coat pocket. "I'm Kagome."

The girl sniffed and tightened herself around Kouga's arm. "What are you doing with my Kouga-sama?"

"Kouga-sama" groaned and ran a weary hand over his face. "We came to ask you a few questions Ayumi. You _do_ want to help me, don't you?

Ayumi beamed up at Kouga as if his words were the best thing she's ever heard. "Of course I will! You know I'd do anything for you."

When her green eyes turned to look suspiciously at me, I suppressed a sigh of exasperation. "Will it help if I tell you I'm taken?"

I wasn't, not really, but she didn't need to know that. Kouga, at least, was able to smooth his indignant expression when Ayumi turned her eyes up to his face. "What is it you wanted to know?"

"Ayumi, I need to know what you remember about the human Onigumo."

The name affected her, and I watched through narrowed eyes as she blanched and her pretty face paled to a ghostly white. Kouga seemed surprised by her reaction, for he shook her off his arm so he could grasp both of her arms and give her a firm shake. "Ayumi? Ayumi what happened?"

"He's not…" Ayumi shook her head and jerked out of Kouga's hold to rub at her arms. "He doesn't go by that name anymore."

Kouga's eyes narrowed, but he didn't say anything. He waited patiently, his blue eyes calm and holding back temper. I watched the two of them, something niggling at the back of my mind. About Sesshoumaru and Kagura, and something about Kouga and Ayumi. I wasn't sure what it was, but there was something in the way that Ayumi seemed to bow down in front of Kouga much the same way that Kagura and Kouga both bowed down to Sesshoumaru. Did demons still possess a hierarchy? And if they did, how was that even relevant to what was going on? I gave my head a firm shake and listened to Ayumi, because that was more important at the moment.

"I don't know how he does it, but he's been making himself stronger this entire time. He… Kouga." This time, Ayumi shed the image of a subservient woman and simply stared up at Kouga with regret in her eyes. "He killed everyone, Kouga-sama. _Everyone_."

I didn't understand what was going on, but something made me take a few steps back and a pink shield ghosted in front of me, and I knew that whatever powers I had instinctively rose to protect me. I was right. The ground suddenly snapped with some kind of energy, and an animalistic roar burst through the clearing and I clapped my hands over my ears.

"What happened? Why was I not informed? They were my pack, Ayumi! _My pack_!" His blue eyes were more pronounced than I have ever seen them and his eyes reminded me more of a wild wolf than the simple man I had once thought of him. "Why did no one send for me? How long ago was this?"

Ayumi flinched and looked away. "Hakkuu told us not to call you. He said it was for your own good, and that if we called you Naraku would just absorb you too, and then he'd be more powerful."

"Naraku?" I finally asked, and managed not to take a step back or flinch when they both turned their eyes on me. Kouga didn't look like Kouga at all, his face looking stretched almost as if he was on the verge to change into something that wasn't just a simple man. I looked at him coolly as if I had control over the situation and I knew exactly what was going on. "Calm yourself, Kouga. You aren't helping anyone if you lose control."

Ayumi gasped and took a step behind Kouga, and I realized that I still had a shield around me. "Y-you're a miko? I thought there weren't any of you around any longer!"

I pretended nonchalance and raised an eyebrow at her. "Please tell me who Naraku is. What do you mean about absorbing Kouga?"

"That's how he gets stronger." She said, still huddled behind Kouga. "He absorbs demons that are weaker than he is, and uses their powers to slowly make him stronger. That's why you don't see a whole lot of demons around anymore. They didn't just die; they were killed off one by one. There are still only a couple thousand of us left and only true demons. The only hanyou's around nowadays are the ones that were born within the last fifty years or so, and even they might disappear soon. I hear that Naraku has started up again within the last month – I think something must have triggered him to come back to Tokyo."

Something cold settled inside me, and I knew with a certainty that it was because of me. Wasn't it Kouga who told me that Naraku had wanted Inuyasha, and that was why he had been so desperate to hide Inuyasha in the first place? But what was so special about Inuyasha that made Naraku want to kill him so badly? I rubbed my head tiredly, for it suddenly felt as if a head ache was coming on.

_I can show you._

"Kagome?"

_Let me in. I can show you._

I shook my head and focused on Kouga, realizing with a frown that he had wrapped a hand around my arm and that I had started to lean up against him to support my suddenly weak knees. "I'm fine, Kouga, I just got a little dizzy all of a sudden. Kouga, I think we need to tell Sesshoumaru about this."

"Sesshoumaru? You mean _the_ Lord Sesshoumaru?" Ayumi asked, clutching Kouga's other arm. "When did you have a chance to get in league with him?"

"Didn't you know?" I asked as I straightened and stepped away from the two of them. "Inuyasha is Sesshoumaru's younger brother. It's Inuyasha Naraku is after, and it should be Sesshoumaru's duty to protect him."

Ayumi snorted. "As if. Sesshoumaru doesn't love anyone enough to want to protect them, least of all family."

I thought of Kagura and knew Ayumi was wrong. If Sesshoumaru truly cared for no one, would he really have allowed her to stay with him throughout the long years of his existence? Everyone needed someone at one point in their life, and I had the feeling that Sesshoumaru was beginning to realize that. Why was he even helping us in the first place if he didn't care about his little brother? Besides, it was my opinion that the ones that showed little to no emotion were the ones that most likely felt too much.

"Even so. We'll need Sesshoumaru's help, I think, because I'm certainly not going to be able to do it alone." I said, and rubbed my head one more time before tucking my hands in my coat pockets. The breeze coming from the ocean really was quite chilly.

Again, Ayumi snorted and looked away with her nose up in the air. "Like you could help. He's a demon, you know, and not someone you'd be able to handle."

Because I was really getting annoyed of her childishness, when I spoke my voice was chillier than I had planned. "I am a miko, am I not? I'm not so defenseless."

Kouga glanced over at me with a strange look in his eyes, and I wondered why. But he was shaking his head much the same way he was shaking Ayumi off his arm. "You really are her reincarnation, aren't you?" He didn't see how I stiffened, for he was looking at Ayumi. "She's right. If this Naraku guy is really on the move again, I want you to be careful. Run away if you need to and find me, I'll take care of you. Do you understand me? Don't be fool and get yourself killed by that thing."

I started walking away while Ayumi started whining and arguing with Kouga, and instead used my cell phone to call a cab to come pick me up.

"Hey, Kagome!" I heard Kouga yell, and I looked over my shoulder and waited for him to catch up to me. "Why didn't you wait for me?"

I didn't answer for a moment, instead staring unseeing in front me. "Did you know her? Kikyo, I mean."

He scratched the back of his head. "Yeah, I knew her." He sighed. "Don't hate her too much for what she did to Inuyasha, alright? She was born a good person, despite being a miko."

Defending her. Why was he defending her? "What are you talking about? It's her fault for this entire thing."

"Kagome… She was a good person. She could never turn away from those in need of help, even if no one else cared whether they lived or died. She was nice to children, nice to even people who weren't nice at all. Does that sound like someone you know?"

I didn't want to hear it. Not one little bit of what he had to say. "I'm nothing like her. She was selfish and cruel, and punished Inuyasha because he was unable to change for her. I will never _ever_ ask someone to change just because they are different from what everyone else considers 'normal'. Don't ever compare me to her again."

The cab pulled up, and I left him standing there on the sidewalk with those pretty blue eyes of his staring after me with something akin to pity in his eyes.

\\\\////

My tiny apartment seemed too big when it was just me sitting on my bed, staring listlessly out the window. I blamed Inuyasha, because I never let myself be lonely or even _consider_ the fact that I might be lonely until I met him. Since I didn't have anything else to do, I cleaned my apartment and separated my laundry by colors and textures, glad that I had enough clean clothes to make an outfit suitable enough to go outside and walk to my mother's house. I won't make her do my laundry today since I was bored and needed something to occupy my mind. Won't she be surprised?

I stripped quickly and dropped my clothes into my neat little piles before I walked into my bathroom, stopping and staring at my reflection in the mirror. "Why won't you leave me alone?"

She stared at me quietly, simply stared, and I had the feeling she was calling me a fool. Sighing, I stared back in resignation. "Okay, Kikyo. What is it you wanted me to know?"

It was like a punch to the back of the head, and I crumbled in a boneless heap to the floor.

"_Do you see?"_

I blinked and looked over at her. We were in pitch blackness, nothing but myself and Kikyo existing. She wore her priestess garbs and I, unfortunately, was still naked. I self consciously crossed my arms over my chest and watched as her face twisted in derisiveness. I glared at her. "Do I see what?"

She pointed to something behind me and I looked over my shoulder without even thinking. Color suddenly smeared through the darkness, and when everything stood still I was left clutching my stomach after the feeling of vertigo and watched as she calmly walked past me and stared dully into the green field that we now stood by, and I gasped when I watched both Kouga and Inuyasha duking it out in the middle of the field.

I figured I was supposed to see this for a reason, so I gritted my teeth and plopped down on the ground next to Kikyo and waited for the fight to be over. It wasn't like I could stop it. But what was it she wanted me to see?

It was brutal. With claws slashing at each other, fists pounding into each others faces, I was surprised that not a whole lot of blood was shed. Idly, I watched Kouga, finding his furry outfit somewhat amusing. He seemed younger while fighting Inuyasha, and a whole lot happier than he is in the future. His dark hair was longer and seemed lustier as it blew in the breeze, tied back by a leather strap, and his blue eyes sparkled with the thrill of the fight. I could see how muscular he was underneath his fur and armor, and I couldn't help but be impressed.

I wish I knew him in this time, not the future. Five hundred years had made him jaded; made them **all** jaded, and I wondered how my relationship with each and every person would have been like if I had been able to come back to the past – before Inuyasha's and Kikyo's betrayal, and before Sesshoumaru, Kagura, and Kouga faded from themselves over the course of time. Would they have still tried to kill me out of fear of me being a miko? Or would they have welcomed me a bit better (not trying to choke me) than how they did in the future? But I'd never know, so I merely watched the fight with the same solemn expression Kikyo wore, and wondered who the hell was going to win.

Kouga did when he sent one kick to Inuyasha's jaw that had him sprawled out on the grassy floor and creating a little crater around himself with the impact. I looked to Kouga to give him a piece of my mind before I remembered they couldn't see or hear me. So I watched instead with a scowl as Kouga gave Inuyasha a two fingered salute and a wave to Kikyo over his shoulder, a huge grin on his handsome face.

"Tell Dog-turd over there to get a clue next time! He'll never be able to defeat a **real** demon like me!" Glee rolled off him in waves from his recent victory, and when I turned to Kikyo I was surprised at how much she relaxed, for she rolled her eyes and smiled at him before making her way towards Inuyasha..

"Tell him yourself, Kouga. I am not a messenger." She said, her eyes warm with friendliness as she watched Kouga take off into the forest. Then she sighed and turned to Inuyasha who was just now waking up, and I stumbled back a few times and fell on my bottom in shock.

Love. Love was so thick on her face and in her eyes I wanted to choke, sick suddenly with realization.

**This** was what she wanted me to see. This was why she made me watch from the sidelines as a spectator as Inuyasha got the crap kicked out of him, so I could see the love she had for him as she nursed him back to health. I watched Inuyasha open his eyes and chuckled weakly at the worried look on her face and reached up a hand to touch her cheek. "You worry too much. We were just having fun."

Getting beat up was fun? Ha.

"You think too little. Which one's worse?" She asked as she helped him stand. They started walking off in the opposite direction of Kouga.

I waited, thinking that I saw what she wanted me to see and that I'd go back home like all the other times or wake up like all the other times, but nothing happened. I even closed my eyes and held my breath, but still I only stood there looking like an idiot. I laughed to myself and followed them, the Kikyo that I know silently following behind me.

Is this what being a ghost felt like? What Inuyasha was feeling like right now in the future? I could see everything. I could see how green the grass was underneath my feet, smell the trees and the flowers on the wind, and I could feel just as much I would if I were alive. I would have almost been tempted to stay as a ghost when I myself died if it were not for the fact that I would be alone. Why would I want to stay in a world that no one else would be in? I would, in a sense, be in a world of my own. So why did the dead feel the need to stay? What possessed them to give up their chance at heaven? Or maybe the ones that stayed were the ones meant for hell, and they'd rather be stuck in purgatory rather than go there. I'm not so sure which one I'd choose.

I was startled out of my thoughts when I followed them to a small hut on the outskirts of a village and away from prying eyes, and a little girl with black hair ran up to Kikyo and started bouncing in place, and I watched as Inuyasha reached out and ruffled her hair. "Kaede," Kikyo murmured. "Go get my medicine bag, please."

"Okay, big sister! I'll be right back!" Kaede said with excitement, and ran into the village. Kikyo led him to the hut and gently set him down, and I recognized the place at the hut I had woke up in, in one of my dreams. I watched, feeling almost sick when Inuyasha watched her every move with the same warm look in his eyes that Kikyo had when she looked at him.

When he finally slept, I could only sit listlessly with him as I twiddled my thumbs and waited to wake up. Both Kikyo's had left us alone, so there really wasn't anything I could do except wait. With a sigh, I lay down next to him and watched with marvel as his chest moved with each breath he took.

I wanted to place my hand over it and to feel his heart beat but I couldn't, and it hurt more than I thought. I hated Kikyo for making me see how much she had once loved Inuyasha, and also for making me realize that my love for him would never measure up. Why was she doing this to me? Was she so spiteful that even in death she didn't want Inuyasha to find happiness again? How dare she show me this and think that this will make me give up on him!

She came back in and checked his brow, and I watched with a weary eye as she gathered up a medicine bag and filled it with various herbs, ointments, and bandages. She cast one last look at Inuyasha before leaving. Curious, I stood to follow her outside, hesitantly touching the wooden wall of the hut and let out a relieved breath when I didn't go through it. I was just going to try and jump all the way through like I see all the other ghosts doing, but I would have gotten a rude awakening and an unbecoming bruise if I had tried before testing it out first.

Yet the minute I crossed the threshold, I was engulfed in darkness. The next thing I knew I was in a cave watching as Kikyo tended to a man engulfed in white bandages. I covered my mouth in disgust, the stench of burnt and dying flesh too much for me. I watched her care for him, confused. Who was he? When she was mixing some kind of medicine he reached for her, his bandaged hand trembling when he touched her cheek. She jerked in surprise and his hand fell weakly, hitting the jewel hanging from her necklace before landing on the floor.

My eyes narrowed. It could have been me but… I could have sworn I saw something dark pass to the jewel. She seemed affected as well, for she blinked in confusion for a few seconds before rubbing her forehead.

"_Do you see?"_

Gasping, I turned on my heel and looked behind me, yet no one was there. Do I see? Do I see what?

I looked back towards the bandaged man and looked in his eyes since they were the only things I could see since everything else were covered by white bandages.

They were the last things I saw before everything shattered around me and I was back at my apartment with my back leaning up against the door, and I was staring at **my** reflection in the full length mirror.

I closed my eyes. _Do you see?_

Yes. Yes, God help me, I did see. But at the moment, it didn't change a damn thing.

I still had to put a stop to this nightmare. For myself, but for Inuyasha first and foremost. Inuyasha for obvious reasons, but I wanted Kikyo to get out of my head. I don't know what she's thinking but she's not helping. I needed to end this _now_.

For what was worse, anyways? Being a ghost, or being controlled by one?

\\\///

Two more chapters to go, but don't expect them to happen anytime soon. I need to rearrange my ideas for this story, and I'm not liking how my chapters are coming out and I refuse to post anymore crap. I honestly don't like this chapter, and I want this to be the last piece of crap I post until the end of the story.

Luna


	11. Chapter 11

Standard disclaimer applies

Standard disclaimer applies.

Rated M for Language.

You guys are seriously the best! To tell the truth, I was getting a little discouraged and thinking that I'm really starting to screw the story up, but then I read your wonderful reviews and all of your questions and insights really move me on! Because of your inspiration, as a reward this chapter is chock full of fluffy love and romance. Enjoy!

I've changed my mind about ending it in two chapters; there is just too much I want to fit into the story that I don't want to squeeze it in just two chapters, so expect more from me! Please keep reviewing and sending me your encouragements! You're helping a lot more than you think!

Oh, and a very helpful person (syfo, you're awesome!) brought to my attention that I had mixed up the names between Kagome's friend and Kouga's wannabe fiancé – her name from this point forward will be Ayame, not Ayumi. Thank you for correcting me! Also, a shout out goes to mary -- thanks for all the reviews!

Don't think anything about this chapter's title – I'm just in a goofy mood and **The Turtles** song "Happy Together" (you know, the one where the lyrics are "Imagine you and me, and me and you") is stuck in my head. Again, I'm being an idiot and just read the darn thing. 

* * *

**My Sixth Sense**

**Chapter Eleven: The Turtles **

**By: Luna**

* * *

The weight of the past rested heavily on my shoulders in the following days, for now that I had let Kikyo get a foothold in my mind, she seemed determined not to leave. Throughout the days following that episode in my apartment she consistently sent me images of her past; from when she found Inuyasha, fell in love with him, and when she ultimately killed him – well, sort of killed him.

Sometimes when she would send me images I could hate her so much because after a while I felt as if it had been _me_ who committed all those things; _me_ who found Inuyasha and put humanity into his heart before I betrayed him. Sometimes I'd be filled with self-importance, for Kikyo had been quite the accomplisher in her time before she went crazy and went on a killing spree. Then there were times when it felt like I hated Inuyasha because he was the one that betrayed me first – even though _I_ knew that wasn't true, because _I_ knew that _she_ was the one that had attacked Inuyasha first and forced him to defend himself against her.

I knew that someone enlisted the help of a dark witch to bring her back to life just long enough to seal Inuyasha, but I'm not sure why or for what purpose. I'm sure if someone wanted Inuyasha dead they could have used anyone to do it, yet they used her. Why? Why go through all that trouble to bring her back just long enough for her to seal Inuyasha and then have her die again? It made no sense. It was so confusing and I'm not sure if my simple mind would be enough to unravel the complexities of the past. Kikyo, I think, was trying to tell me something but for the life of me I don't know if she was trying to turn me to 'the dark side' and to hurt Inuyasha, or to explain to me the only way she was able to how the past came to be. But I needed everyone's input, not just hers. In fact, the main guy I needed input from – probably the only one that could really fill in the blanks – was no where to be found.

Weeks went by and still no sign of Inuyasha or his brother, and I wondered if both of them had forgotten me. It felt weird coming to the shrine everyday and not being bugged by Inuyasha, and it almost hurt that he wasn't there to even call me names. I'd let him call me a bitch if it'd make him come back, but he never showed up, not once. I thought I would be in tears, but after that first day when I almost purified everybody, I haven't cried since. I was dry inside, almost brittle.

And very, very angry.

How _dare_ he? How dare he enlist my help and then abandon me like this? The stupid jerk! At first I decided to stay at home since it was pointless to go to the shrine for no reason since Inuyasha wasn't there. But being at home and taking mediocre ghost hunter jobs just to float the bills no longer felt satisfying. I visited Reika and went on a date with Kouga that eventually turned into three, and I even enjoyed myself some of the time. But I missed Inuyasha. And when I was through with missing him, I started getting angry with him. This brought me to where I was right now, stomping up the shrine steps mad as a hornet and itching to crack some ghostly skulls.

"Inuyasha! How dare you disappear on me, you stupid hanyou! I'm trying to help you and you abandon me?!" I yelled the minute I reached the top. "You stupid flea bitten mongrel, you get your ass down here right now and speak to me!"

And to my surprise, he did.

He appeared so suddenly before me that I could only blink and stare at him as he looked at me with a pissed off look on his face. "I'll have you know I _don't_ have fleas and I _never_ did."

I started crying. Right there at the top of the steps, I covered my face with my hands and started crying.

"Wha?!" I heard him exclaim with alarm painting his voice, but I was so angry and so relieved that I just couldn't help it. Inuyasha sounded panicked. "What the hell are you doing, you stupid girl?! Stop that right now!"

I gave a watery laugh and sniffed a little. "Yeah, I just turn it on and off, you stupid man." I wish I could lean into him, depend on him, but I knew it was physically impossible, and my heart pinched a little because I wasn't sure if I would ever be able to lean and depend on him. With one last sniffle I dropped my hands and finally looked at him. "Inuyasha, why have you abandoned me?"

He stared at me for the longest time before he looked away, his expression pained as if he had heard those words before. I wondered why, but then one of Kikyo's memories came floating back to me, and I swallowed hard. _Inuyasha, why have you betrayed me?_ I hated her even more then. Would Inuyasha always hear me say something and think that Kikyo had said it first? My relief and happiness turned bitter and I looked away from him to stare at the ground.

"I haven't abandoned you." I heard him sigh. There was a cold ghostly brush against my cheek telling me that he had reached for me, and I slowly brought my eyes to his and watched as he dropped his hand helplessly to his side. "Don't you know by now I need you?"

I couldn't breathe. He wouldn't look at me, but I couldn't look away from him. My throat felt so dry when I was finally able to croak out, "Why?"

_Please don't say it's what I think it is… I'm not her, Inuyasha. Please don't say that it's because of her._

He didn't answer me, just turned on his heel and started to make his way to "our" tree, his hair moving with the wind I wasn't sure if he could feel. I stared at him, paralyzed, until a car somewhere backfired and jolted me. I hurried after him and made it just in time to see him jump onto his branch. I glared up at him the minute I got under him. "Come back down here! You don't disappear for weeks on end and pretend as if I wouldn't care!"

When he ignored me I stomped my foot like a child. "Inuyasha! If you don't come down here I'll… I'll cry again!" Since that was so lame an argument I simply huffed and sat at the base, my knees drawn up to my chest. "You stupid jerk." I muttered sullenly.

Like always, I didn't hear it when he landed, but I smiled when I felt his cold presence close to me. "Ah, Kags, I'm sorry. I needed to sort some things out, that's all. Whatever you did when you went into that house, it made me remember and... it allowed me to leave the shrine. If I thought the world had changed from what I could see here, let me tell you I'm truly amazed and slightly… intimidated, by what the world has become." When I didn't say anything I heard him sigh. "Kagome, what did you do when you went inside that house?"

I turned my head so I could watch him but didn't lift it from my knees. He wasn't looking at me. "I remembered everything. Before Kikyo changed, even before I met her. Everything cleared – as if someone just swiped a hand and cleared whatever had been blocking my memories. And I could _feel_." He shot a glance at me and his cheeks were pink. "I could feel you touching me."

I blushed darkly and cursed my continuous bad luck. Good thing I stopped at his face!

He drew his knees to his chest also and sighed. "Kagome, please don't think badly of Kikyo. She was not a bad person."

I winced and closed my eyes. Why was everyone defending her? First Kouga and now Inuyasha. I think the only person I can depend on to not defend her was Sesshoumaru, and that would be similar to pulling teeth out of a horse and I'm not that desperate as to seek compliments from _that_ iceberg.

But… was Inuyasha still in love with her? For five hundred years he had been trapped on a shrine that he had no way to get off of with everyday smearing into the next without thought to time or place or even his feelings. She stripped away his memories and left him reliving the day she pinned him to the tree over and over and over. He forgot his friends and his family and was reduced to someone that was little more than a wild dog, as he had demonstrated the first day he realized that I could see him. How could he forgive her for something like that and still love her?

I didn't understand, and at this point of never having understood in the first place, I told myself to stop asking why. I have never been in love before Inuyasha, and just because I loved him now would not give me any insight into such murky waters overnight. Or maybe this just proved what Kikyo was trying to tell me; that I would never be able to love Inuyasha like she had. But she's _dead_. For God's sake, she's _dead!_

Kouga's question came back to me hauntingly familiar, and I smiled sadly at the irony of it all. Because really, was it so hard to separate a dead woman from a live one? Why can't he see what's right in front of him? Or… maybe he does and I'm found lacking.

I pretended as if I wasn't breaking, because I didn't want Inuyasha to know. Well, maybe my heart wasn't breaking, just cracking bit by bit and everyday he chooses a dead girl over me. _Don't think badly of Kikyo._ Inuyasha, can you really defend her after everything she has done to you? To me? Granted, she hasn't affected my future in the way she has affected his, but she's still in my head, just beyond my reach. She was still making me feel and remember her most bitter memories. How can my opinion of her not be jaded?

I wanted to laugh at myself for being so stupid, but I had a lump in my throat that didn't want to leave, so I stayed quiet and let him finish talking. He obviously had a lot he wanted to say.

"Before I had met her I had been alone. I'm a hanyou, remember. I'm half demon, half human. Back in my time that meant that I was an outcast. Humans hated me because I had demon blood in me, and demons hated me because I had human blood in me. I was never accepted. At first I had pursued her because she was the protector of the Shikon no Tama and I wanted to wish myself to be a full demon. She would never kill me, though, and I didn't know why. After a while, I just pursued her because I wanted to; because I liked her company. She felt the same, you see, because she was the guardian of the jewel and she was never meant to be normal."

I closed my eyes and pretended I didn't see the softening of love on his face. I didn't see _anything_. "I know," I said softly. "She wanted to be ordinary. And she wanted you to be ordinary with her."

My eyes were still closed, but I could hear the surprise in his voice. "Yes. She wanted to use the jewel to wish for me to become human. Once the jewel was wished upon it would disappear and thus her obligations would be over, and we could finally be together. But then there was this guy… she healed him after he had survived a burning building, and he fell in love with her too."

Fell in love… There was something I needed to remember, but I just couldn't think about it now.

"She didn't return his feelings, but he wouldn't take no as an answer. He… I'm not sure how he did it, but I think he's the one that tainted the jewel. And since she had such close contact with it, eventually it tainted her as well." When I opened my eyes, he was staring at his hands. "I don't feel bitter against her anymore. I don't think I can. She was a good person, and it's not her fault that Tsubaki cursed her. Cursed us."

"Cursed? Tsubaki?" I asked faintly, and wondered how I could stand to listen to this. She was dead. I had to keep telling myself that, but it was as if I still had an invisible rival hovering over my shoulder, sneering at me in triumph. _Quit trying,_ I could imagine her saying. _This is a battle I've already won._

"Yeah. She told me one time that when she was younger, another miko in training named Tsubaki told her that as a priestess she had to leave her heart to achieve power. That she could never fall in love. If she did, she would meet a most unfortunate death." He looked so saddened by this that I wanted to comfort him, yet I said nothing. If having me go through that blue barrier suddenly gave him insight into things, I'll let him sort it out himself. There were some problems and answers that only you could answer; answers that no one else could give you. "I can't help but think her death was my fault. If I hadn't met her, we would have never fallen in love and she would never have died because of it."

"Don't be stupid, Inuyasha." What was I saying? Stop talking Kagome, _stop talking right now!_ "Do you even realize what you gave her? You made her smile when she thought there was no one in the world that would even care to see it. You introduced her to love, when she thought she would have to live without it. You gave her _happiness_, Inuyasha. In the end, that is all that mattered."

I'm so much of an idiot I wanted to cry. If loving someone means comforting them even while they talk of love for another woman… I don't want anything to do with it. But when I looked to Inuyasha, I was struck speechless by the intensity of his eyes and the warmth of his smile. "Thank you, Kagome."

I simply looked away. I really _am_ an idiot.

I didn't want him to see into me; see the love that was growing every minute I sat in his company. I was so afraid that he'd see it and want nothing to do with it – or worse, feel _sorry_ for me.

"Besides," he continued blithely. "If all this never happened, I would have never met you, right?"

I didn't want to look too closely into that, so I closed my burning eyes and told my mouth to smile. "That's true, isn't it?" I said softly, wondering how strange it was that I could be so happy this morning and feel so bad not even thirty minutes later. "But I wouldn't call that lucky. I'm the most unlucky person I know."

He barked out a laugh and I opened my eyes to watch him place his hands behind his head and lean back into the God Tree. I frowned a little. "Hey, Inuyasha?"

"Hm?"

"How is it that you can go through walls, but you can still lean up against the God Tree and not go through it?" It was a question asked to change the subject, and I wondered if he knew that when he shot me a look out of the corner of his eye. "I mean, you go through walls, doors, windows, and everything else, but you can jump up on the God Tree and mess with Buyo and stuff."

He blinked and I could swear I saw a tick in his brow. "Hmph, you can figure it out for yourself."

In other words he had no idea. While I laughed, he huffed a little and slouched down further. "So what have you been doing while I've been gone?"

I wanted to ask what _he'd_ be doing, but I'll go first. "Well… I've been taking odd jobs here and there to make rent since I told Miroku and Sango to stop paying me since I'm not doing this for money anymore, and—"

"You're not?"

"No," I said quietly. "It's personal now. I'm doing it because I want to."

He was silent, but I didn't mind. "Then I went on a few dates with Kouga—"

"What?!" Inuyasha jerked forward and glared at me, his nails digging into the fabric over his knees. "What the fuck did you do that for?"

Raising a cool brow, I fought to keep my triumphant smile hidden. It was good he was showing jealousy… right? "Because I wanted to. _Someone_ disappeared on me and I was getting bored." And lonely. "And Kouga is a lot more fun than I had thought at first, _and_ he's good looking and doesn't call me names."

Inuyasha glared at me before huffing and slouching up against the tree again, his face turned away. Because I knew that it bothered him on some level, I started poking at his rib cage and watching as my finger went coolly through and waited for him to face me. "What's your problem? Did you really think that I was just going to sit around here for an entire month and wait for you while you explored Tokyo on your own?"

His face was turned away but I could still see the curve of his cheek, and when he blushed I knew that he _had_ thought that. He twitched a little when I continued to poke at him until he finally turned to me and swatted at my hand. "Stop that!"

I sighed. "Inuyasha, if you wanted me to wait for you to return you could have at least said good bye. I _did_ wait at first, by the way. When you didn't show up I thought that you didn't need me anymore or that you had left me, or…" I swallowed hard. "I thought that when I went through Kaede's barrier that I had killed you."

His ears twitched towards me and he turned his head a little so he could watch me out of the corner of his eye. "Kaede's barrier?"

"Yeah. When Kouga threw you down the well, he had Kaede place a barrier around you so that nobody could hurt you, but she wasn't that developed in her spiritual powers yet and it took everything she had. She caught a fever and died shortly after." I frowned and looked up into the sky. "You should really thank Kouga for saving you, by the way."

I heard him snort. "How do you know about Kaede? And you've always been so certain that I'm dead, so what changed your mind into thinking that I'm not?"

"Well…" I hedged. I didn't want to tell him that his dead lover is sticking images in my head, because I didn't even know how _she_ knew. That and I didn't want to risk the lines between myself and Kikyo getting blurred again. "Kouga told me. And… when I found your body, I couldn't _not_ think that. And…" Here, I continued on in a whisper. "I really _want_ you to be alive."

Inuyasha was silent for so long that I started to think I made a mistake in revealing even that little, but then I heard the faint rustle of his clothing as he shifted to face me. "Kagome."

I didn't want to, but I turned to face him and knew that I must have looked nervous, because his face softened and he reached his hand out to touch my cheek as if he had forgotten that he couldn't touch me. His fingers stopped just millimeters away from my skin, but that didn't stop my pulse from racing. "I meant what I said. I _do_ need you."

I held my breath and turned away so I can stare into space. I've always wondered what a double bladed sword felt like, and now I know how painful it could be if someone thrust it in your heart and gave it a little twist. "I know. To end the enchantment." Inuyasha stood suddenly so all I could see was his knees encased in the billowing red of his pants. What…?

He growled low in his throat and I blinked and stared up at him. "You matter to me. _That's_ why. Why do you think I even talk to you in the first place?"

"Because I'm the only one who can talk back?" I asked with a weak smile.

He growled again and his body seemed to vibrate with all the emotions that were suddenly swirling in his eyes. "No! Because for whatever reason why, I _like_ you, you stupid girl! Why are you so goddamned thick headed?"

"What?" I scrambled to my feet so I didn't have to crane my neck back so much to glare at him. "You're the one who's always talking about Kikyo! Kikyo, Kikyo, Kikyo! I know enough about her already without you defending her to me!"

"I'm only defending her because you seem to think she's the most horrible person in the world!"

"W-well, you did too! You even hated _me_ when we first met because you said we looked so much a like – and I'll have you know that _Sesshoumaru_ doesn't think that. If he has no trouble distinguishing between the two of us, why is it so hard for you to do? I'm not Kikyo!" I had screamed the last part and stood panting in front of him and my eyes filled up with dreadful tears. I sniffed and plopped down on the ground again, unable to look into his surprised eyes any longer. I seriously needed to learn how to keep my trap shut so I'd stop embarrassing myself.

"Kagome…" He knelt in front of me and his hands reached out to my face. "Look at me."

I did after a few sniffles. "What?"

"I stopped comparing you to Kikyo a long time ago." I loved the intensity he would get in his eyes sometimes, the same kind of intensity he was looking at me with right now that made me thankful I was sitting down. But then his face twisted into something bitter and he looked briefly away. "And then you go and hang out with Kouga. You do know that he's going to think you're his woman now, don't you?"

"Unfortunately, I don't think I'm anyone's woman." I sniffled again and peaked at him from underneath my lashes.

He blushed and darted his eyes back to me before looking quickly away. "Aren't you?"

Laughing would be an inappropriate response, but I couldn't stop the fiery blush that made its way past my hairline and the insanely blissful grin that I buried in my knees. "Y-you're right, Inuyasha. I guess I _am_."

I felt like a teenager – like we were both teenagers – and still awkward with expressing our feelings. But damn, I'm feeling happy. My chest felt so full of it that, in the end, I couldn't help but tip my head back against the tree and laugh until I had tears on my cheeks. "I guess I'll be _your_ woman, Inuyasha."

"Keh." But he was smiling, and right now that was all I needed.

In the days that followed I stayed in that blissful state of happiness with my smile almost never leaving my face. Inuyasha and I got to know one another better after we opened up, and I found myself falling even deeper in love than what was probably wise, but I couldn't help it. I was so happy that our feelings finally got out into the open, and I couldn't wait for the enchantment to end - and it will end, I'd make sure of it!

I should have listened to my grandfather when he told me, quite pessimistically if you ask me, that whenever something seemed too good to be true and things were going greater than usual, to expect things to suddenly get worse.

Which was why I should have expected Naraku to show up when he did, and I should have expected that there was absolutely nothing I would be able to do about it.

* * *

I definitely like this chapter better.

It's all thanks to my reviewers who convinced me that my story wasn't as crappy as I thought it was! So everyone review and it'll make me update faster and with better chapters!

Luna


	12. Chapter 12

Standard disclaimer applies.

Thank you everybody for all the reviews – I hope that this chapter lives up to any and all expectations! I'm using this chapter to set up the course for the eventual ending (which I have no idea when it'll happen) and so consider this chapter an… introduction into our famed nemesis, Naraku.

**This is a MATURE chapter. Do not read unless you are mature enough to read it.**

Now, the story will be extending a lot further than even I thought it would, so right now even I don't know when this story will end, so from this point forward I will refrain from attempting to guess when I'll end it. I had an ideal ending, but now that I'm reading it through all over again, new ideas just won't stop coming and I won't be satisfied with my story until I write everything that I wanted into this story. Please, please like it! I love this story, and would love it if you guys loved it!

As always, please remember to review.

**My Sixth Sense**

**Chapter Twelve: Stolen**

**By: Luna**

* * *

"I've found you." The voice was like a caress, but not a very pleasant one. There was something decidedly unpleasant about it, and a whisper of warning ghosted across my skin. "I've finally found you."

I turned slowly from my walk up the shrine steps and stared down at the man standing below me, a small delighted smile on his smooth face. He was handsome with pale skin and long, wavy black hair. He was slender, not at all like Inuyasha or Kouga's bulky body type, yet not like Sesshoumaru's either. He was tall, and as I traveled up his frame starting at his toes, I attempted not to show any emotion and merely raised an eyebrow at him. "May I help you?

He shook his head and placed a foot on the first step. "You already have. Are you the keeper of this shrine?"

"This is my family's shrine, yes. Please feel free to look around if you'd like, but the caretaker is not here right now." Actually, I wasn't sure if Miroku was here or not, but I wasn't going to say that.

"You are Kagome Higurashi, yes?" The man asked again, and I narrowed my eyes at him and said nothing. He shook his head and took another step, making me tense.

"Depends on who's looking for me." I said warily and turned to walk the rest of the way up. I ignored how he followed me silently, his dark eyes following my every move to an uncomfortable degree. When I made it to my usual spot by the God Tree to wait for Inuyasha to get back from his daily jaunts across Tokyo, I turned to sit at the base and found him standing a few feet away with an odd smile on his face and his dark eyes still on me, and I raised both brows in question. "Sir, if you do not have any business at this shrine except to stare at me, please leave."

He shook his head with a gleeful look and stood his ground. "After all this time, I don't think I can leave you just yet. So many years have passed while I waited for you to be born again, and I don't think I can just walk away. Kikyo, don't you recognize me?"

My heart stuttered once, twice, and suddenly I was finding it hard to breathe. Oh my God._ Oh my God!_ Please tell me this isn't who I think it is.

He must have seen some reaction on my face, because his smooth face settled into lines of smugness, and he relaxed. His eyes… there was something in his eyes that made me uneasy, even more than the knowledge of who he was. "Yes. You remember. That makes it so much easier now, doesn't it?"

"What…? What are you doing here?" I wanted to run, but I already stupidly backed myself up against the wide expanse of the God Tree and with his demon like abilities, I'd have no chance at all in out running him.

"For you. All I have ever done has been for you." He took a step closer to me, and my mind still drew a blank as to what to do. Fear refused to supply the name I knew he went by, and fear made my feet stick to the ground like glue. "Everything. You should know by now I love you. I think I've proved it enough."

There it was again. Love… what was I missing?

He wasn't finished speaking. "You were confused for a while, but you proved it when you tried to kill Inuyasha. I believe you now. Come with me, Kikyo, I have a place just for you."

He was crazy. That's why his eyes had that too-calm look that took on a crazy like glee. He had to be crazy. Did he really think I was going to leave, just like that? "I," My throat was suddenly dry, and I had to swallow to even say anything. "I'm not Kikyo."

"You are," he said silkily. "You _are_ Kikyo. You don't act like her, but you are her."

Okay, I got at least one thing right; he really was crazy.

"The shape of your face, the color of your hair and eyes – that's all Kikyo." He took another step forward, but I still couldn't retreat. I couldn't do anything.

"That's only physical. You don't know me." I was whispering now, but he heard me very clearly.

"I want to. Won't you let me know you?" He reached a hand out to touch me, but something flickered in his eyes and he disappeared.

I blinked, but then I realized that he hadn't been the one to disappear. I looked up into Kouga's face and my eyes pricked with tears of relief. "Thank you," I whispered and clutched my arms around his neck. "I don't know why I couldn't move."

"It's alright, Kagome. I'm here now." His arms tightened around me when he landed, and only let me go to shove me behind him. "What the hell do you think you're doing here, you bastard!?"

I looked over Kouga's shoulder to watch as Naraku's lip curl and his face darken. "In this life, do you still prefer dogs to men?"

It was obvious he was talking to me, but I only shrunk back behind Kouga and asked myself why I couldn't be strong in front of him. But when I was faced with the actual demon that haunted my dreams and turned them into nightmares, there seemed to be something in me that couldn't stand the even sight of him, and I was frozen. I peaked over Kouga's shoulder again and gasped at the darkness that was emanating off of Naraku.

It was thick and blackish purple, and it dripped off him like poison to hiss at the ground before rose up like miasma to taint the air around him. Kouga was bristling, a deep growl rumbling from his throat, and it made me feel safe.

Until that dark miasma shot towards us, and darkness filled my eyes as the echo of Kouga's scream filled my ears...

\/

I groaned and cracked an eye open and wondered why I always seemed to wake up like this nowadays; an aching behind the eyes and in my head and a smirking hanyou staring down at me.

A smirking hanyou that was _not_ Inuyasha!

I jerked up and the world spun for just a moment before everything righted itself and I was staring into dark eyes surrounded by dusky hair that, oddly enough, looked like a dank, murky green. I didn't know anyone could have green hair, and in all the visions Kikyo provided for me he was seen at a distance so all I could assume was that he had dark hair with no distinguishable features...

Why am I thinking this? Where's Kouga? He was hurt somewhere, possibly worse, and where was I? Safe and sound with a man who had gone crazy during the five hundred years he waited for me to be born?

He sat down on his haunches and reached out to me, and the fact that my back was already pressing up against a wall was the only reason I didn't move away. My skin crawled where he touched me, but I tried to keep my face blank so he wouldn't know what I was thinking. His fingers moved from my cheek to bury themselves into my hair, and if it were alive I'm sure my hair would crawl too, because I knew my scalp sure was.

Without warning he slammed his mouth over mine and forced his tongue in my mouth. I gagged and tried to twist away, but that only seemed to excite him more so lay as passive as possible while he assaulted me. Only when he pulled away and brushed his thumb across my cheek did I realize I was crying, but it didn't surprise me. I was trembling, and with a shaking realization I knew that I was absolutely powerless against him. He could do anything, and there wasn't a thing I could do about it.

Naraku clucked his tongue and smiled at me, and I would have considered the gesture handsome if evil didn't ooze off him in dark waves. He sighed, and even then I imagined he had dark smoke curling out his mouth. "Ah, Kikyo. So long I have waited for you. The least you can do is show a little appreciation for my dedication."

"Naraku?" I whispered, hating the fact that I sounded so weak in the face of such an evil man.

His smile turned indulgent and I had to force away the urge to retch. "You recognize me. I thought you might." He leaned in to kiss me again, and I flinched away in reflex. It made him angry, and he only forced his mouth on mine again.

Again he pulled back and frowned at me, but when he finally took notice of my trembling he pulled back and looked at me like he was confused. I felt the need to explain – anything to make him stop looking at me like that.

"I-I don't remember everything." He raised a winged brow and I hurried to continue. "I don't. I just… I just remember your face."

It wasn't exactly a lie, but I didn't want to tell him that there was still a part of Kikyo in me, showing images of his face. After all, it was _Kikyo_ he fell in love with, not me. My brows furrowed when something tickled my brain, and again I wondered what it was that I was missing. I felt as if I knew the answer, and whatever it was it was very, very simple. But what? What could I possibly be missing here?

"That's reassuring. I knew that you wouldn't remember everything when you were reincarnated, and I'm glad I left such an impression to carry with you for over the centuries." His voice was like oil; thick with a disgusting residue that stayed even after you washed your hands with soap and washed your mouth out with cleanser. "You'll eventually remember everything I did for you, Kikyo."

He wasn't even speaking anymore and already I felt dirty. I prayed that he wouldn't try to kiss me again.

When I didn't say anything he sighed again and stood up before offering his hand to help me stand. I started hyperventilating and the minute I was on my feet I was backing away again until my back hit the wall. Naraku frowned fiercely at me before I watched as he made his face relax once again into a smile. "It's alright, Kikyo." He murmured. "I know you don't know me in this time, but is it not enough that you dream about me?"

I hadn't said that, but it was close enough to the truth that I didn't contradict him. If he was scary calm, I'm sure I didn't want to know what he looked like angry. I swallowed hard and made my eyes look as close to his eyes as possible to give the impression I was, but whatever fear of being helpless still couldn't make me look him in the eye. "Just let me go. Please, please just let me go."

His smile turned indulgent once again and he made clucking noises as if I were a child. "That's not important right now. Let's go and take a walk, shall we?"

I had no choice. What would happen if I refused? I looked around the room carefully as he led me outside, eying the plain bed that was placed up against the wall with clean white sheets and comforter pulled back in an inviting gesture – one I desperately prayed I wouldn't have to face tonight.

Other than the bed there was a dresser and a white lamp. I almost wondered if he went as far as to buy clothes for me and expect me to wear it. How long did he expect me to stay here? And… and why the hell did he even kidnap me in the first place? Though it was nice to think that love could last that long, I doubt his love for Kikyo was the healthy kind. And since he had me with him and not Kikyo… I wondered how he would react when he found out the truth. Kikyo and I really weren't anything alike, aside from physical appearances.

That despite being reincarnated that the fact that _I'm not Kikyo_ – the fact is that we both fell in love with Inuyasha and we both have no intentions of turning that love away. Or I should say that I had no intention of doing that, since Kikyo obviously _had_. It didn't change the facts, but it left me in a precarious position.

I was nervous, because I was all alone and I don't know why Inuyasha was not here with me. He was able to leave the shrine, so why didn't he follow me when a stranger suddenly appeared and hit me over the head? I didn't care that he couldn't touch me, but I did want him there for comfort. Or… if Naraku really planned to do with me what I think he planned to do with me, maybe it's better that he's not here. Only one of us should go through something like that, and I wouldn't want him to die from guilt of not being able to do anything before I'm able to save him.

I looked around the hallway but there were no distinct characteristics that would be able to tell me anything other than Naraku developed extremely plain tastes over the years. He led me out into a similar living room where there was just a plain tan couch with a plain brown coffee table and a TV sitting against the wall.

There were no roads that I could see, but that didn't mean that there wasn't one on the other side of the house. I looked to my right and my left, but again my vision was blocked by the thick trees. He was waiting for a reaction, but I won't give him the satisfaction. I kept my face blank and stared out as if I wasn't looking at anything at all.

I saw a satisfied gleam in his eyes that made my stomach turn. He led me off the deck, and while I started to plan when I'd be able to let go of him he suddenly pulled me close and flush against him and I gasped when his greedy hands crept closer to my butt than I was comfortable with.

"Hold on." He said, and that was all the warning I got before we were suddenly airborne.

I screeched and held on to his forearms and watched as the ground underneath me blurred before stilling, and I gasped and stumbled away from him the minute my feet touched the ground. He was looking at me with varying shades of displeasure and thoughtfulness. He shook his head when he caught my eye. "You really are a child, aren't you?"

Swallowing, I thought for a moment if he'd let me go if I acted younger, but I knew instinctively that, in the end, it wouldn't matter. "In this life. I don't really remember a whole lot from my old one. Just flashing images and stale memories."

His eyes sharpened. "Do you remember anyone else besides me? Another hanyou, perhaps?"

I doubted he'd believe me if I said no and if I stayed quiet any longer I feared his anger would be directed at me, so I crinkled my brow and pretended as if I were thinking hard about it. "Another demon, you mean? Yes. I keep on thinking that he must have been very important to me, but for the life of me I can't figure out if it's love or hate."

Naraku walked up to me casually and idly picked up my hand to study my delicate fingers and the pretty nails that I just had manicured, and I resisted the urge to pull away. "What do you mean?" he asked, his voice just as much casual as if we were talking about the weather. "Which one is it?"

I shook my head. "I don't know. Sometimes I think that I had been in love with him, and yet…"

"And yet…?" He echoed, his hands suddenly tightening around my hand enough to make me squeak. He loosened his hands immediately and brought my hand to his lips in what I assumed was a silent apology. I resisted the urge to shudder in disgust or else he might assume it was a good reaction.

I laughed weakly. "Well, it's just… every time I get that sense of love; I get also get the sense of hate. I'm sorry, but I can't really remember much more than that. I've only just started remembering my past life these last couple of months." That was more or less true also, and I thought it safer to stick as closely to the truth as possible so I won't trip myself up in lies. "And to be honest, the only thing I remember about you is your face and name. I'm sorry, but I really don't remember anything else."

His face became thunderous and he swept his arms out wide in a encompassing movement as his voice hissed out like acid. "Do you not remember what I did for you? Forget that memory; it is _me_ who you are only allowed to love or hate! I rewrote time for you! I brought you back from hell just so you could fulfill your hearts desire for revenge! And you dare say you feel love for another man?"

His face smoothed immediately, however, and it was as if his outburst never happened. "Well, we'll just have to change that, won't we?"

This was it. My stomach froze up in terror as he reached purposefully for me with that gleam in his murky eyes. I couldn't even breathe as he grasped my arm and pulled me forward, and I hated myself for having to even ask myself this question but… where on earth was my strength now? Where on earth were these famed miko powers that made even Kagura tremble?

Give me a miracle, I prayed. Please God, just give me a miracle…

"Kagome!"

I jerked away from Naraku and stared with wide eyes as Kagura, of all people, appeared behind me with her red eyes focused on Naraku with hate livid in those red depths. Then she grabbed me, and before I knew it I was clutching at Kagura's thin waist as we flew away on what looked to be a gigantic feather. I leaned my forehead up against her back, vaguely realizing that she now wore a red and white kimono and her hair was now held up in a neat bun at the back of her head with pearl drop earrings.

Shuddering, I tightened my arms around her and resisted crying, but just barely. "Thank you, Kagura. Thank you, thank you, thank you…"

I didn't have to look at her face to know she was displeased with me touching her, but she just felt so damn clean and I felt just too damn dirty, and I couldn't make myself let go just yet. I cleared my throat and managed to lift my head. "How… how did you know where to find me?"

I leaned a little so I could see her side profile, and I watched as her perfect lips curl into a snarl. "That bastard used to hold my heart in his hands. Lord Sesshoumaru saved me from him."

"What? You were in love with _Naraku_?" It was disgusting, but I wouldn't hold it against her. Much.

Kagura actually growled and elbowed me so sharply in the sternum that I wheezed and collapsed against her back. "I have never loved such filth! He held my heart, you stupid bitch, and don't make me regret saving you."

I had the feeling Sesshoumaru wouldn't like such language coming from her mouth, but resisted reminding her that since I only just got my breath back. "I'm sorry for suggesting that, truly. But I don't understand what that means. You're saying he held your literal heart in his hands?"

Kagura sighed and her shoulders drooped just slightly. "Girl, do you really not know anything about the past?"

She must have taken my silence as a no, because she glared in front of her and her tiny hands clenched tightly on the giant feather. "Naraku gets stronger by absorbing demons and casting off unwanted parts of himself. He even made separate beings that he could control to do as he wished. I am one of those beings, and that is how I was able to sense where he was."

As I gasped, her eyes turned dreamy and had a faraway look in them that made me take a double look at her. "I asked Sesshoumaru to save me, and for whatever reason, he did. He forced Naraku to give me my heart back, which in turn gave me my freedom from him. I have been with Sesshoumaru ever since."

"I think I know why." I finally leaned away from her and looked around, watching as the skyscrapers of Tokyo appeared in the distance among all the smaller buildings. How far had Naraku taken me?

Kagura turned her head slightly towards me and I realized she was waiting for a response. I smiled at her. "You hold yourself with dignity, Kagura. You were part of something so dark and yet you had honor and enough humility to ask someone stronger than you to give you freedom. At least, that's what I think attracted him to you in the beginning. I think it was your devotion to him that won him in the end."

"How do you even know this? Do you just guess when you tell me these things?" she demanded, and I wish I had an honest answer for her. I didn't really know myself.

I was watching the scenery with fascination, so when I answered her it was off hand. "Come on, Kagura, do you really see someone like Sesshoumaru choosing just anyone? He obviously holds you in the highest esteem; otherwise I'm sure he would have left you long ago, no offense. He just doesn't seem the type to let just anyone stay in his presence for very long."

"You obviously were never told of Ah Un and Jaken." Came her dry response.

I actually had, vaguely, from Inuyasha and I think once from Rin too. "And Rin, of course. How had she actually come to travel with Sesshoumaru? Even in the afterlife, she is very devoted to him."

Just as I expected, even Kagura's face softened the mention of the little girl. "I'm not sure, actually. I know her village was attacked by wolves and that Sesshoumaru saved her and has kept her with him ever since. She was… a very lively girl. The only being on this earth that would dare put flowers in Lord Sesshoumaru's hair."

I laughed and watched as she smiled. "Are you serious? What I would give to have seen that!" I grew serious, however, when I remembered how she died. "He must have been very heartbroken when she died."

"Yes." Kagura said and lowered her eyes, and I followed her line of sight and blinked when familiar streets were passing by underneath us.

We were almost back at the shrine, and I started to tremble all over again because I started to remember what had happened and how I was able to dissociate everything around me so I wouldn't feel. Now that I was away from that place and that man, everything I held myself back from came flooding through, and I struggled to listen to what Kagura was saying and try not to go into shock.

"He had become very quiet and withdrawn – well, more so than usual. He was hurt very deeply, but he would not allow her to die by less honorable hands than his. He was very adamant about that, and I think Rin wanted that too." Kagura said, and as the shrine came into view her face slipped back into disdain and I knew that our moment of girlishness was over.

We touched down smoothly, and the minute my feet touched the ground and I looked up, I saw Inuyasha on the far side of the courtyard with his face creased with worry. The minute he saw me he jumped up and started to come towards me, and at that moment Kouga burst up the steps and came barreling towards me, reaching my side when Inuyasha was still just barely five feet away.

And, God help me, I needed the kind of clean physical comfort Inuyasha couldn't give me, so when Kouga reached for me I didn't resist and I fell a tearful mess into Kouga's arms.

I buried my face in his chest and my hands fisted the back of his shirt. His large, soothing hands stroked my hair and rubbed little circles on my back and pressed his cheek against my temple, his warm breath brushing against my ear. "It's alright, Kagome. You're here with us now, and we won't let him take you again. I'm sorry I couldn't protect you, Kagome."

I roused myself enough to straighten and look over Kouga's broad shoulders, and this time when I cried it was for Inuyasha. He was staring at us with the most heartbreaking mix of emotions; and it hurt me to watch him.

Kouga held me even tighter to his chest. "Never! I'll never let Naraku take you again!"

He was so warm, so strong; so _real_, that I held on tighter and buried my face in his neck and let myself cry a little. When I felt Kouga brush his lips over my hair and his arms get more familiar, I still couldn't pull away because I still needed someone to hold me, and no one else who would or was able was here right now.

I prayed forgiveness for my weakness, for I couldn't yet move away. But it wasn't God I was asking forgiveness from.

It was Inuyasha.

* * *

Hmm…. I'm indecisive about this chapter.

Review and tell me what you think about it.

Luna


	13. AUTHORS NOTE

Sorry Everyone! I've been really busy during my move from Washington, D.C to Florida, and my school is over 10 hours. But this weekend I'll try and post! The chapters are written, I just need to grab my thumb drive and post! Look for new chapters this weekend!

Luna 


	14. Chapter 13

Standard disclaimer applies.

Thank you everybody for all the reviews – despite waiting a while for an update! My new story **The Snowball Effect**, had become so popular suddenly that I couldn't help update it faster than all my other stories since all the reviews were pouring in (and I want to finish it before I lose the drive) but don't worry! Despite the sudden slow in updating, I'm not giving up on this story yet! I'm gonna finish it no matter what!

And for those of you who think I'm not adding Sango and Miroku… well, the truth is I just don't know how to write them. I love Miroku and he's sometimes easy to write, but Sango's a complete mystery to me. Sorry, but I'm most likely not going to add them much from here on out unless I need some fillers.

I found out the word "hanyou" is in all actuality plural, so if your reading and you think that I missed an 's after it, I'm telling you now it's on purpose. Also, this chapter contains SPOILERS TO EPISODE 148!! I weaved some of what happened during that episode into this chapter, then twisted it to fit my story.

Do not read if you are not comfortable. Let me remind you that I in no way own Inuyasha, and do not take credit for any part of it with the exception of what I have written as fiction. I do not get money for this; neither do I want money for this. (That's the disclaimer for this chapter, by the way)

I put everything in italic, and you'll know why next chapter. To give you hint, I'll ask one question: what have I continually put in italics from beginning to end?

I'm not really a fan of Kikyo, but I think this is a very keen chapter that will help in understanding what happened, at least a little. Please review and tell me what you think.

No flames, please, for the spoilers, because I did warn you.

This is NOT the last chapter, by the way. Thirteen is such an unlucky number…

As always, please remember to review.

**My Sixth Sense**

**Chapter Thirteen: Kikyo's Story**

**By: Luna**

"To forgive is not to forget. The merit lies in loving in spite of the vivid knowledge that the one that must be loved is not a friend."

Mahatma Gandhi

* * *

_The demons blood stained the forest, yet still I held my bow in my hands and never dropped it. Something else was out there, I could feel it. I couldn't tell if the demon had ill intent, for at the moment it seemed suspended, content merely to watch me heaving with exhaustion. I couldn't lose focus. I wouldn't. So many people depended on me. So many people expected me to win._

_Those girls in the village; the ones that wished for a handsome husband and lots of babies. The women who wanted their dreams to come true. They all counted on me._

_Don't lose, Kikyo. Don't even think about it. It was all I could do to merely stay standing, but stay standing I will. I won't let them down. I'll never let them down. I fight so they can have the kind of life I can't; so they can find a love that I won't. Stay standing, stay standing, stay standing…_

_With an almost imperceptible sigh, my eyes rolled to the back of my head and I collapsed on the forest floor. I almost didn't notice that the demons aura turned distinctly human before I lost consciousness, the soft moss of the ground cushioning my fall._

_I awoke the next morning with the jewel still wrapped around my neck, and I was almost resentful. Why didn't the demon take it? Surely it would be beneficial. So odd, yet so curious. _

_The villagers had been so kind to me, to offer me a bed and a roof over my head. The food was a bit plain; the kind of food you'd expect out of a poor village, but I will not complain. They are giving me the best they have to offer, and it would be callous and ungrateful to act as if it wasn't good enough._

_I got up slowly, taking just this one small luxury of taking my time and holding off the villagers for just one more minute. I had promised to help with planting and herb gathering, with teaching the children new songs and with helping the women tan hides and lay out meat to dry. It was going to be a long day._

_-_

_I wandered away from a few of the women I was with, having patiently showed them what plants were beneficial; either healing or edible or poisonous, before I couldn't stand it anymore and had to walk away from them. I wasn't one of them. I felt too left out, too awkward, and I hated the feeling of not being able to belong. It was embarrassing and pathetic of myself every time I had to stand in their midst as an outsider, never feeling truly accepted. _

_I paused, slowly readying my bow. A demon was coming. A little bit weaker than I had been expecting but a threat was still a threat, and it would not be wise to be caught unawares._

_A white demon crashes through the underbrush ungracefully, and for a moment my bow faltered and I stared. Tan skin, golden eyes, and hair the color of snow. So handsome he was, so rough and unrefined. I have never seen such passion in a beings eyes before. Just was what his purpose in confronting me…?_

"_Give me the jewel! Give me the Shikon Jewel right now!" He demands in a determined voice._

_Of course. I tell myself not to be disappointed. I release my arrow and watch dispassionately as it pins him to a tree, and merely raise a cool brow at the list of profanities coming out of his mouth. Well, it was foolish to expect grace in defeat from a hanyou, I suppose. _

"_If you don't want to die, don't come near me again." I call to him as I walk away. I had to close my eyes and actually take effort to block out his choice of words, resisting giving a haughty sniff for good measure, just so he'd know my displeasure at such indecent language. Not like he'd care anyways, but miracles do happen, I suppose._

"_I'll find you again, Kikyo!" He snarls at my back, and I jolt at the sound of my name leaving his lips. I shouldn't be surprised; by now people knew my name, and demons should as well since they feel as if I'm a threat, since I am. _

_He continues yelling at me, and despite myself my pace slows just the smallest bit. He must have sensed this, for he yelled out much more strongly. "I can smell your disgusting smell anywhere. You smell like a demon since you killed so much of them!"_

_I don't know why, but that actually hurt my feelings, even if just the slightest bit._

_He approached me many times after that, and the result was I'd always pin him to a tree. Eventually, however, he seemed to slow down his pursuit; his attempts becoming more halfhearted as if he were only chasing me because there wasn't really anything else to do. Or perhaps it had merely become habit. Or perhaps… well, I'm not going to go down __**that**__ road. _

_Today was one of those occurrences, and he seemed to be content with just glaring at me. We stood in a grassy field and stared hard into each other's eyes, yet something in his expression told me he had to fight to keep that expression there. And… there was something else there, too. Something that I almost recognized buried deep within me…_

_No, what am I doing? This is such a foolish path to tread._

_His shoulders were so strong underneath such baggy clothing, so wide and maybe dependable. His hands, though clawed, were deceptively narrow, which surprised me since I expected nothing but hard from demons like him. No, not exactly a demon, is he? Neither a demon, nor a human. Just a poor hanyou looking for a place he can belong. _

_Is this why he chases me day after day? Am I foolish for thinking this? I straighten just the slightest bit and narrow my eyes at him. "What is your name, hanyou? Even a hanyou like you should have a name."_

_His face pinched, but I wondered what made him so angry. He yelled, since he was hardly ever able to talk normally around me, it seems. "Hanyou, hanyou – stop saying that!"_

"_Then tell me your name," I say coolly. "If you do, I will never call you a hanyou again."_

"_It's Inuyasha, bitch, and don't you forget it!" He charges at me with that as his war cry, and I merely pin him to a tree and walk away. I'm going to start charging him eventually; these events were becoming a waste of arrows._

_And yet, I still look forward to each one… _

_Did he? _

_Days past, and though I sensed him following me, not once did he approach and demand for the jewel. Not once did I see his beloved face and felt happy for the fact that he was seeing me; really, really seeing me for who I am. I wanted to talk to him. I wanted to hear him say my name in another way other than with profanity or a curse. I wanted to touch him, to smooth away the worry lines from his face and make him young again, and I wanted to see what he looked like if he smiled. _

_Such a foolish woman I was becoming. _

_I should be remembering something; something about a curse, but at that moment little Kaede came bursting through the foliage, a panicked look on her freckled face._

"_Quick!" She cried, her young voice choked with worry. "A man has been injured! His name is Onigumo!"_

_-_

_The next day there was still no sign of Inuyasha. I told myself it didn't matter, that he was just a hanyou and that there was no reason to feel disappointed that he had moved on. I went about my normal duties; taking care of Kaede and the rest of the villagers, and at night tending to that burnt man, Onigumo. _

_Eventually, I told myself, I would stop expecting him to just appear before me one day, a red knight in all his glory… but no, I had become foolish and that was the exact thing I had thought would happen when I heard something crashing through the forest by the Bone Eaters Well._

_I still had my bow ready, of course, and it was a good thing I did. Kaede cried out as she stumbled into the clearing and I ordered her to run towards me. This was not Inuyasha. Hanyou he may be, but he would not hurt my little sister Kaede. _

"_The jewel will be mine!" The centipede hissed, its feminine features contorting into an evil smile._

_I readied my bow, still and silent and waiting for my opportunity. It was never wise to rush at a predator. The moment I was about to release my arrow, Inuyasha appeared before my dazed eyes and slashed through Mistress Centipede, yelling out with a gleam in his eyes, "The jewel's mine, you hag!"_

_And I couldn't move out of my daze even when she slid to land at my feet. I moved then, glaring down at the evil beast that dared attack my sister, and with the help of my holy powers I threw the carcass into the bottom of the well where I assumed would be a proper burial._

_We stare at each other for long moments, feelings passing that I knew were foolish, but unable to fully hide. I turned to Kaede, who watched Inuyasha with wide eyes. "Kaede," I said calmly, but firmly. "Go back to the village. Don't stop until you're safely inside the house."_

"_Yes, sister." She whispered, and scurried off with one more backward glance at Inuyasha and myself._

_I move towards the God Tree, so mighty in its age. I sat down slowly, eyeing Inuyasha, and patted the ground beside me. I wanted him closer to me. Closer to feel, closer to smell… _

_He sat, and I smiled when he hid his hands in his sleeves and looked embarrassed, refusing to look at me. I leaned back up against the tree and stared at the sky, smiling and allowing myself to relax, maybe even feel like a girl for just a few more minutes in time. _

"_It never changes, you know." I say softly, quietly, my eyes on the never ending blue sky. I felt Inuyasha's eyes on me, but I didn't look. "It gives me hope every time I look. Because… no matter how much ugly is in the world, wherever you are all you need to do is look up, and the sky is there to comfort you with its beauty and never ending depth. When you're sad or lonely, or need comfort in normalcy, you should try looking to the sky. In life, it is the only true constant. Sometimes it can be very comforting to know."_

_He didn't say anything, but I didn't exactly expect him to. I smiled with how this might look to others, maybe if I had been dressed in different clothing; a young girl and her man on a date, enjoying each other's company. I continued, needing to speak to someone, anyone, and glad that he was here to do so. "Although I'm a human, I can't be one. I must lose all my emotions because I'm a priestess. You, a hanyou, are like me." I still couldn't look at him, even though I really wanted to. "And that's why I cannot kill you."_

_Without another word I stood and started to walk away, somehow peaceful now that that small burden had been lifted off my shoulders. As a priestess I rarely was given an opportunity to lay open my own fears and insecurities – in fact, never before had I ever done so. To speak now, to Inuyasha… well, it felt much more pleasing than I had thought._

"_Meet me here tomorrow," Inuyasha calls out, and I hesitate, surprised. "I have something to give you."_

_I kept walking, and yet, my steps were unusually light. Something to give me? What on earth could it be? A present? Or something cruel? Just in case, that night I strung a rosary with special care, explaining to Kaede in a low and measured voice that, once a spell had been cast and a magic word spoken, this rosary could put a small amount of control over the bearer. "If Inuyasha put this on," I said, "He can be controlled."_

"_What word would it be?" Kaede asked, her eyes lit up by curiosity as I a strung another bead._

"_What should the word be?" I echoed, cocking my head to the side in bemusement as I considered the question. _

"_Hmm, yes, 'lovely' would be the word." It was, after all, a word I used so seldom._

_Maybe it was a cruel thing to do to Inuyasha, since demons and hanyou alike were free animals and no animal would willingly give up freedom. But years of living alone in an ungrateful world had taught me to be wary, so I did not stop until my task was done. _

"_Do not ever," I told Kaede, "Trust a demon when you first meet. They are cruel by nature, and may not warm up to you immediately. This is why I made that rosary."_

"_Do you want me hate them?" Kaede asked, so childish and willing to do anything I say. Her question made my heart clench, and I couldn't help but put my arms around her and hold her close to my heart._

"_No." I said resolutely. "Do not hate. Do not __**ever**__ hate. Hate is a poison of the heart that casts a shadow on your soul, and nothing good ever comes from it. What I am saying, little sister, is to wait before you give your trust away. I do not want you to become hurt."_

_Like me, so jaded from what the world had become. When I was young, I trusted too quickly, too deeply, and now my life is shadowed by death and a mission I didn't really want, but would take seriously until the day I died. I did not want that life for little Kaede. "Love, little sister. Please find love and be happy. All I'm asking is that you wait until your heart is sure, and your destiny has already been revealed to you."_

_I should stop talking. I should let Kaede grow up with very little influence on my part other than the role of the older sister. I don't want her to be miko. I don't want her to be resigned to live in a world where it's forbidden to know the touch of another soul touching you. I want her to be like those village girls, giggling and dreaming and crushing on the boy next door. I want her to be happy._

_Life as a priestess is a hard life, but it can be fulfilling. Am I a hypocrite when I still say I do not want Kaede to become one? She has the potential. I give her training constantly, and she will soon become very efficient with time and training. Already she has become efficient with barriers and healing, and it won't be long now that she will be able to use her powers to attack or defend. I am very proud, yet I still want her to wait._

_Oh, I should just stop thinking. This is getting me nowhere. _

_The next day I went to the God Tree, the rosary necklace tucked safely in the folds of my priestess garments, and my eyes widened at the display of a blushing Inuyasha, looking away from me with his arms crossed. I did not recognize the feeling, but it felt as my heart just dropped to my feet then and there, and I too had to fight back a blush. This was ridiculous! _

_Just the sight of him should not make my heart feel as if it stopped, only to start beating again at an alarming rate. My body shouldn't be feeling warm all of a sudden, and I certainly wasn't feeling happy at just the sight of him waiting for me! _

_This was just a phase… and I am becoming a very poor liar._

_When I sat down next to him, all my senses started tingling, and I for some odd reason I had to resist acting like those foolish village girls and tell myself that giggling is __**not**__ an attractive quality. Inuyasha sat cross-legged, squirming for what seemed like forever before he unceremoniously shoved a shell under my nose, his face so red that I almost laughed aloud. _

"_It was my mothers." He muttered, still not making eye contact._

_And then… well, I think I just fell in love. Or maybe I had been all along and was just now realizing it._

_I slowly reached out, my heart thundering in my ears as I cupped my hands under his so I could slide my palms against his skin slowly, relishing in such indecent contact, before pulling away with the gift held securely against my chest. I opened it slowly, and it held red lip makeup in it. I blushed softly, meeting his golden eyes with a love that I would not hide. "Thank you."_

_The rosary suddenly felt very heavy in my inner pocket, and I clutched the gift closer and hurt, because I didn't think I'd be able to give it to him. How can I let myself control Inuyasha is such a horrible, cheating way? Especially after he gave me such a precious gift. "I…" I hesitated. "I had a gift for you, too, but I had forgotten it back in the village. Next time I meet you, I will be able to give it to you." And I had better think what rather quickly. _

_I don't know why I changed my mind. I should have placed it over his head, called myself lucky, and smiled as I said the word. But I couldn't. Not anymore. Slowly, I let myself lean until my shoulder brushed with his, and we sat like that; leaning up against each other for a long, long time. _

_That night I used a mirror and carefully applied the makeup while in the confines of my room, blushing madly at the thought of using such a luxury. His mother must have been very noble, for makeup like this was very expensive, and the shell it was inside was very lovely. _

_I jumped when Kaede came in and guiltily put away the shell, glad it was dark so she wouldn't see my blush when she whispered, "You're so beautiful, Kikyo…"_

_I cleared my throat. "What is it you need, Kaede?"_

_Kaede shuffled her feet a little. "Onigumo-san. I thought I'd remind you that he needs his bandages changed."_

"_Thank you." I whispered, hating being slapped with reality. "I'll see to him right away."_

_I forgot the makeup on my face as I tended to him, and didn't realize why he stared at me so oddly all night while I carefully peeled away his old bandages and applied salve to his burns before wrapping him up again._

_I continued seeing Inuyasha for many more weeks, while during the night I would tend to Onigumo. It would take him months, if not years, to recover from such nasty burns, and even then he will be left disfigured. The burn to his back was the nastiest one of all, shaped into an ugly spider that sent chills down my spine. I didn't tell Inuyasha; he was very possessive and I didn't want him getting jealous over something so inconsequential. _

_I couldn't stay here forever, so I went with Inuyasha and travelled from village to village, tending to the weak and growing into a woman that could finally call herself in love. We went to the disappearing island, rowed down rivers, and climbed mountains until my feet were raw and he carried me on his back. Then one day, we simply turned back around and came home._

_They were the happiest days of my life. _

_And unfortunately, I should have reminded myself that nothing lasts forever. For at every peak there is a fall, and everything must come down eventually. Happiness, at least for people like me, can never truly last forever. I should never have let myself forget that._

_It all seemed to happen one night while tending to Onigumo. He had been staring at me strangely all night, and finally he raised a shaky hand and reached for my jewel. I allowed it at first, because he was just a human and not a whole lot of humans knew what the Shikon Jewel was, so I didn't worry until his hand dropped suddenly and smacked the jewel on accident. But it was strange. I felt so dizzy all of a sudden, and I rubbed tiredly at my forehead and willed the weakness to pass. I needed to head back home soon, anyways._

_For a moment, it felt as if someone else was watching us, and I looked around the darkened cave before I passed it off as my imagination. There was no one there. I did not sense anything around me, so it was just a side effect of mine that I heard a feminine gasp. I looked around once more, and for a moment I could have sworn I saw the ghost a naked girl staring at me with wide, horrified eyes, her hand reached out in warning. _

_Then I blinked, and she was gone._

_How odd. I stared at the spot for just a moment longer, wondering why I felt a feeling of foreboding deep within my chest. After that, things just seemed to get worse. I started getting mood swings, continually snapping at Inuyasha whenever he said something I didn't like, hating the fact that he started looking at me differently. I pushed those worries to the back of my mind, however, when my village was attacked by a horde of demons. _

_Inuyasha and I came together, fighting side by side, until every last demon was killed. But something was wrong; my powers were weakening very, very slowly. Why? Because I fell in love? I remembered then, so very clearly, the night that Tsubaki cursed me._

_Do not fall in love, she had warned with her eyes flashing red. Nothing good will come of it._

_That bitch. That stupid, horrible woman who dared call herself a miko. It was because of her that I was unable to protect little Kaede, and now she was considered deformed with only one eye. Someday, I will repay in tenfold what that woman has caused, and she will rue the day she dared cross the great miko Kikyo._

_That night, I heard Inuyasha arguing with his brother Sesshoumaru, and I shivered as his youki slithered darkly along my senses, and I knew that this was one demon I can never hope to defeat. The youkai was telling Inuyasha something, and at first I didn't really understand._

"_Stay away from her." The cold voice said, and I slowly sat up to hear better._

"_Shut up! You have no idea what she's like, Sesshoumaru!" Inuyasha yelled, and I closed my eyes, an odd darkness easing as my love defended me. Of course he would. I do not know why I doubted him so quickly._

"_This Sesshoumaru knows what she is, and that is enough. She will betray you. All humans do." Sesshoumaru sounded so self assured, so matter-of-fact. I hated how he thought his word was law, and I hated him just because I wanted to and I felt Inuyasha's aura waver._

"_And Rin?" Inuyasha sneered, but I knew he was still indecisive by the way his aura still flickered. "You think she will betray you? She's just a child. A __**human**__ child."_

_A low growl, so soft it might have been a purr was heard, and I held my breath. "Rin is not like that miko. Her soul is pure. Already, the stench of that woman's corrupted soul is making itself known. She was never born to be pure."_

_What on earth was he talking about? I __**am**__ pure! I'm the miko Kikyo, the protector of the Shikon no Tama! How dare he slander my name!_

"_How would you know?" Inuyasha asked, still angry. "You're a demon. You'd never be able to sense shit like that."_

"_Your ignorance still manages to surprise me, __little brother__." He said that last part like an insult, disgust nearly dripping off his tongue. "Any full blooded demon would be able to smell her corruption. Miko or not, her extended contact with that tainted jewel has already begun to affect her. Did you really think that only demons could be swayed by its power?" _

_He paused, waiting for a response. When he didn't get one, he continued. "You trusted this Sesshoumaru about the jewel. You should trust him now."_

_I knew he had left since the area seemed so empty without his aura and power filling it. I waited with bated breath for Inuyasha's spirit to flare, so confident that he would cast aside his brother's words and come to me. And what on earth was Sesshoumaru saying anyways, about Inuyasha trusting him about my jewel? He must have misspoke; Inuyasha would never betray me._

_Except… it seems he has. He stood out there for many, many minutes, too silent and, damn him, too unsure. I will straighten him out. Tomorrow, I will make sure he understands perfectly where he stands in this relationship. I… I wouldn't be able to stand it if he had, in fact, betrayed me. I love him too much, too completely, and I've learned that love makes you selfish._

_Every part of the person you are in love with becomes special. The way his nose slightly crinkles when he doesn't like something; the fact that he sometimes keeps his arms crossed so people won't see how steady his hands are. The more reckless they think him, the more they underestimate him. It's true to an extent, I had laughingly told him, but it's also true that you are very reckless anyways. He hadn't been very pleased at me for saying that._

_I want… to always be with him. I want to be able to wake up one day and the first person I see is Inuyasha. I want to hold his hand whenever I want to and not let people stare at us because I'm miko and he's hanyou. I want him to kiss me… kiss me like he had the other day at the dock when I stumbled getting out of the boat. I love everything about him, and therefore the selfishness of love makes me want everything about him, all to myself._

_I've been so lonely all my life… Inuyasha is my own, personal hope. My blue sky when I'm sad or lonely; my dreams I keep close to my heart at night; and my hope for a future filled with normalcy. I think…_

_No, I know. I am going to give him the Shikon Jewel. Hopefully with this act of giving, he will finally believe me when I say I love him and cast aside his evil brother's hateful words. We had already agreed to meet by the God Tree, so I laid back down on my bed and fell asleep, secure in the knowledge that Inuyasha would do as I say._

_-_

_I stood by the God Tree, peace sliding into me and calming my restless heart down and relaxing my mind from all stress and hardships and everything I ever thought about and never wanted to think again. This was it. This is when I give him the jewel and he becomes human, like we had discussed so long ago. _

_I had been a bit indecisive about it, but last night fully convinced me into giving him the jewel. Not only would it grant us my… __**our**__ happiness, but it would lift the heavy burden of responsibility from my shoulders. I was so tired of being strong…_

_The lush plant life surrounded me, enveloping me in its beauty. The towering oak I once again stood under shaded me from the sun that was burning much hotter today than yesterday, and it only made me anticipate even more becoming normal so I wouldn't have to wear these heavy garbs. I smiled at the thought, tilting my face up into the dappled sunlight streaking through the leaves, and I waited. He would be here soon, and we can live happily ever after._

_I didn't need to hear his footsteps behind me to know that he was there; not only did I sense his aura, all I needed was to feel his eyes on me and I'd know that he was staring with love in his eyes. I turned, not being able to wait to see such a look on his handsome face. He wore his red pants and his red top, and I admired him, loved him. _

_His long, flowing white hair billowed with the breeze that filtered through the forest, and I followed its path, eyeing the well where we fought side by side against Mistress Centipede. We made such a team. I brought my attention back to Inuyasha, confusion tightening my heart when I saw no love shining in his eyes, just frustration and desperation. And yet, I still told myself not to worry. Inuyasha would never betray me. _

_I closed my eyes in anticipation, because there's no way he'd say anything different than the words 'I love you', and I needed to hear those words every day, all day, for the rest of my life. When I didn't hear anything, I opened my eyes to find him glaring down at the ground with a frustrated look on his face, his fists clenched tightly at his side._

"_I can't do it." He sounded choked, despaired. "I'm sorry, Kikyo. I just can't do it."_

_No… __**no!**__ This can't be happening! Why? "Why have you betrayed me, Inuyasha?" I think I whispered it, but I don't really know. How can I, when my peaceful sky disappeared and darkness took its place?_

"_What?" I heard myself blurt out, shocked, outraged, hurt. How could he take sides with Sesshoumaru, the brother he swore he hated? Bitterness darkened my heart an angry color, and I resorted to an emotion I knew how to control; anger. "You don't want to be human? You don't want to be __**normal**__**?**__"_

_With me? Again, I think I whispered it, but with the sudden roar in my ears, I think I might have only imagined it. _

"_Kikyo…" He looked at a loss for words, and I glared at him with contempt._

_How dare he? I trusted him! I trusted him with everything! I was going to give up everything; everything I stood for and everything I was… all to be normal with him. _

"_What about our dreams, Inuyasha?" I demanded, trying to make him see reason. "Why don't you want to be with me anymore?"_

_Because he couldn't possibly want to be with me if this was how he showed it. Why? I wanted to scream. Why have you betrayed me?_

"_I do, Kikyo! You know how I feel!" He shouted, his body vibrating with energy. His face was so passionate I wanted to reach for him, but I took a step back instead. I would not allow myself to trust him anymore. I thought he loved me, yet this was how he showed it. _

_Oh, I hate you Inuyasha…_

"_Do I?" I asked scornfully. "I thought you wanted to be human. For me. So we can both be __**normal**__**!**"_

_My voice was so desperate I was ashamed, but I couldn't help it. I was willing to give up everything. Couldn't he be reasonable to change one little thing about himself for me?_

_A part of me whispered, a sane part, that the part I wanted him to change was the part that made him uniquely him, but I ignored that voice and took another step away from him._

_I watched Inuyasha's eyes drop, and I followed his gaze to my hand where I held the Shikon Jewel, ready to offer it to him freely, and its pink color glinted in the sunlight. It was cool as glass, and yet it sparkled in the sun like a thousand diamonds set a flame. Had the color darkened just the slightest bit? It was usually so clear, yet for a moment I could have sworn its color darkened just the slightest bit to purple. Well, it doesnt matter now. Not anymore. It was all its fault, after all._

_If I didn't have this, perhaps I never would have met Inuyasha. Perhaps it would have been better that way. He had come to me trying to steal the jewel, and it was my own yearning heart that saw something in him that I thought was something in me. But it wasn't. He was selfish, he was horrible, and I no longer wanted him near me. Is this another ploy to get the jewel from me?_

_Demons are devious creatures, and you can't trust a single one past the tip of your finger, and it had been very foolish of me to think that he would have changed in the short amount of time that we have known each other._

_It was __its__ entire fault, I thought contemptuously. If it didn't exist, I would be normal. I wouldn't have this responsibility, and Inuyasha wouldn't be trying to steal the jewel from me. This was why I wanted him to be human. So his demon blood wouldn't be swayed by a little bit of power. Damn his demon blood! _

_How could he? My heart ached so much from despair I wanted to cry, yet I wouldn't dare in front of him. It hurt. It hurt so badly I had to wonder why those stupid village girls wanted love so bad, especially when this was the only result from it. _

_Slowly, I brought my eyes back to his, and I knew what I had to do._

_My hand tightened around the cursed jewel, and from it an odd darkness seemed to cloud my soul. I backed away from him, leaving him standing forlornly underneath the massive tree, and didn't stop until the back of my knees touched the well, the well where a cherished memory had just turned into bitter ash in my mind. _

_I didn't think. I didn't. I simply let my heart bleed out till I was dry, and then I raised my bow and did what I knew I had to do._

"_Farewell, Inuyasha." I said hollowly, and a small part of me watched in horror as I notched an arrow and let it fly._

_I don't really remember what happened after that. I think Inuyasha dodged my arrow, but the after effects of my holy magic had made his eyes bleed red and his handsome face twist into that of a nasty demon, and then all I saw was the color red. It seeped out of me in warm rivulets, and I absently noted when Inuyasha collapsed beside me. I could only stare at his unconscious face as I started to feel very, very cold, and just like that the darkness cleared and I realized with horror at what I just did._

_How could this have happened? My soul… it seems Sesshoumaru was right, after all. I guess he has a right to such arrogance. I thought hard while I still had breath in my body as to when I started to change. With cold clarity, I knew it had been Onigumo that tainted my jewel, for no one else but he had even touched my jewel since I had first purified it so long ago. Tsubaki could have been part of it, but she only cursed my fate, not the purity of my soul. All that was left was Onigumo, a burnt man I had thought harmless._

_Oh, I'm getting colder now…_

"_Inuyasha…" I whispered, savoring for the last time his name on my tongue. "Inuyasha…"_

_I cried silently, tears leaking from my eyes in a never ending stream, and I shook and shuddered, yet still reached out to him with trembling fingers. I needed to touch him, just touch him one last time, and I would be content. _

"_Forgive me, my dearest." Was that my voice cracking so brokenly? I have never heard myself speak in such broken tones before. "Forgive me, forgive me, forgive me. I didn't mean it. I swear I didn't mean it."_

_My fingers reached only his hair, but I relished the contact and threaded my fingers through it, despite the fact that my hands were soaked in blood. Slowly, I grasped the jewel in my hand, and I prayed so hard my soul hurt, but I prayed anyway and hoped my god would listen._

_Let him be happy. Please let me die knowing that, one day, he will be happy. Grant me that much for all the sacrifices I have given. The jewel deteriorated in my palm, and in my mind's eye I saw myself facing Inuyasha once again, as bloody and torn as I am right now, but my face was twisted with such dark hate. _

_Is that how I looked before? How horrible. No wonder Inuyasha couldn't trust me fully…_

_I notched another arrow at him and sealed him to the sacred tree that was told to control time, and I watched as I died once more, watching him being put under a spell that was supposed to last a thousand years. Then that faded to black and I was surrounded by a village made of gray stone, with odd contraptions moving down black streets and sidewalks choked with people. _

_I watched a girl, a girl that I recognized from so long ago; a girl that I had thought was a ghost that reached her hand out so desperately in warning. I should have listened to her, but it's too late for that. She stood under the sacred God Tree with Inuyasha, staring at him with wide blue eyes the color of the beautiful sky, and her face was so choked full of love that my heart hurt. And Inuyasha…_

_He stared at her as if she were everything; as if she held his world in the palms of her smooth hands. It hurt, but I still smiled. He was going to be happy. I don't know when or where, but he was going to be happy, and that was all that mattered. I hope by then he would learn to forgive me for my sins, for his forgiveness was all that mattered._

_My tears wouldn't stop, even when my body felt as if it turned to ice, and I weakly flexed my fingers in his hair and whispered as soft as I dared. My voice choked on a sob, and I tasted blood as it flecked against my lips and dribbled a little out of the corner of my mouth. Still, I smiled, because I knew that everything was going to be all right._

_"Inuyasha." _

_I wanted to grow old with you._

"_Inuyasha."_

_I wanted to wake up to your kisses and smiles. To live forever in happiness with you._

"_Inuyasha..." _

_I wanted to be normal with you, more __than anything else in the world._

"_In...uyasha!"_

_I love you. I love you, I love you, I love you…_

"_Oh, Inu… yasha…" _

_I heard my heartbeat in my ears._

_Bump-bump. Bump-bump. Bump-bump._

_And then… nothing._

\/

Next chapter's the last chapter, so please review, it really does give me inspiration.

I've had such a bad time with this story. I had, in all actuality, finished a completely different chapter than this a long time ago. But while I was checking my email and reading a story that "Megan" wanted me to beta, my computer totally went on the fritz.

I lost all my emails, including every way to contact Megan back, and I lost every story that was on my thumb drive. I was using a MWR computer, and it WAS storming outside so the fritz could have been a result of a power surge… but I don't really know why everything was deleted, and I honestly do not see how it was possible unless a virus somehow entered.

So here it is, second to last installment on The Sixth Sense. I tried making it as long as I possibly could, so I hope you all will be satisfied with it. I'll try to get the next chapter out at least by next month, so please keep on the lookout.

Luna


	15. Chapter 14

Standard disclaimer applies.

Again, hanyou is technically plural. I know I keep repeating this, but I still catch myself adding 's to the end of it, and it's almost irritating to have to be grammatically correct. I don't have my beta for this chapter, so if there are mistakes, I'll apologize in advance. I haven't really read through it though in my rush to update, so I have a feeling there are going to be a lot of mistakes. Sorry!

Last and final chapter (not including the epilogue), so review, review, review! I like to know my talent is appreciated! It buffs up my ego.

I want to thank each and every one of you for your patience and support throughout this entire story. I know it has taken me forever to complete, and a few of you probably forgotten this story for a while, so it means that much more to me for those who have stuck with me the entire way through.

There were definitely some rough spots; you can obviously tell from the bumpy beginning. Over all, I really do like this story, even though I've kind of turned myself away from Inuyasha and Kagome pairings. In fact, the change happened while writing this story. I was looking up information on Sesshoumaru when I stumbled upon his god-like characteristics, and I've been an obsessed fan ever since. I think you all probably noticed since I've been writing quite a few stories with Kagome x Sesshoumaru pairings. But I can't help it! He's so cool.

As a side note, I suck terribly at battle scenes, so if it does suck I really am sorry!

Anyways!

**My Sixth Sense**

**Chapter Fourteen: With You**

**By: Luna**

When I woke up, I stayed in bed for a while before making my way to the shrine; had simply stared at the ceiling, wondering how my life had managed to change so drastically from being a normal creepy ghost girl… to being a normal creepy ghost girl who had fallen in love with an equally creepy ghost guy. I wondered if I would have my happy ending, but from the way it looks… well, I'm not too sure. Things have been awkward between me and Inuyasha, but for the life of me I don't know how to fix it.

We can't touch, so I can't communicate that way. He has the ability to leave and explore the city, so if he doesn't want to see me he easily disappears before I can ask him to wait. In fact, that's been happening a lot more lately than I cared. Why was he avoiding me? Couldn't he understand my need for physical comfort?

I had been kidnapped by a madman, sexually harassed, and almost sexually brutalized. So when Kagura dropped me off, of course I would want the comforting arms of someone who cared for me. And yet… I still hurt Inuyasha. I regret that, deeply, but he never stays around long enough for me to apologize.

I ached. My heart was hurting so badly that I wanted to cry, but for some reason I hadn't been able to since my rescue. Inuyasha… oh, I wanted him to hold me. I wanted him to wrap his arms around me and hold me as close as he dared. I wanted him to bury his nose in my neck and breathe me in until he memorizes my scent for what it was; mine, and not Kikyo's. I wanted to be able to reach out and let my fingers meet chest instead of air, warmth instead of icy cold, and a heartbeat instead of nothing.

I shivered, suddenly recalling a dream that I wasn't sure I really had. I hated these dreams; you knew that you had dreamt something, yet when you awoke you remembered nothing except the vague realization that you must have dreamt _something_. It was… something with joy. Something with pain. Yet something with love. Love so great that for a moment I felt intimidated. It had something to do with Inuyasha, somehow, but I wasn't sure what because I couldn't remember.

It really irritated me. It was probably all Kikyo's fault, too.

I sighed, leaning back against the God Tree to stare up at the sky. I traced the clouds with my eyes, feelings peace slide into me and calming my weary heart. Unlike Inuyasha, it was the only thing that seemed as if it would never leave. I looked down to stare at my hands, and wondered at their uselessness.

Naraku seemed to have disappeared, so have Sesshoumaru and Kagura, though I hoped that their disappearance just meant that they were looking for the evil guy. Kouga still came around even more often than before, and I welcomed his presence because I was lonely and Inuyasha was never around. He really was a good guy and, not for the first time, I wondered why it wasn't him that I chose. He was strong and handsome, reliable, and best of all, he was _here_.

And yet… sometimes when I lay awake at night, I thought my heart beat only for Inuyasha. I breathed, only for him. Because I had to save him; I had to save my beautiful demon and let him know that he was the only one for me.

I sighed irritably and glared up at Inuyasha's favorite hangout. I hated feeling sorry for myself, and the more he left me alone the more I thought things I didn't want to. Stupid Inuyasha! Where are you?

Out of the corner of my eye I saw a flash of red. He was there, watching me. I pretended I didn't see him and just continued to glare at the innocent tree branch, and then I let out an irritated growl and crossed my arms in temper. "Stupid Inuyasha!" I said angrily, pretending he was standing right in front of me. "Why do you always leave when I need you most?"

I saw the flash of red moving, but I didn't look. "How could you not be there for me?" My voice softened almost in a whisper, and I felt the sting of tears in my eyes and was almost grateful for them. "Don't you know that I don't want Kouga? Didn't I already tell you… that I was yours?"

I looked down into my lap and sniffled as Inuyasha crouched in front of me, and I muttered again just for good measure. "Stupid Inuyasha."

I felt the ghostly touch of his hand on my cheek, and I looked up into his golden eyes with pain. "Will you please stop leaving already? I really miss you, you stupid jerk."

His other hand came up to cup my face, but all I felt was cold. His eyes were sad when he said softly, "I wish I could kiss you."

My heart sped up, and I swallowed hard. "Me too."

Instead his fingers seemed to move with a will of their own. Even though he couldn't touch me physically, his fingers moved over my face like a blind man reading brail, trying to memorize my face through touch. I closed my eyes and felt him move down the bridge of my nose, across my brow and down to my cheeks, then lower still to graze my lips. I shivered, because it seemed so intimate despite our limitations, and I sighed, just a little, in happiness.

"Hey, Kagome!"

Kouga's voice broke through the moment, and my eyes snapped open in time to catch as pain streaked across Inuyasha's face as he started to pull back. Panicked, thinking he was going to leave me again, I reached out uselessly and watched my hand go through his chest. "Don't go!"

Inuyasha paused before slowly sitting down next to me, and I took comfort in the iciness I felt at my side. Kouga looked around suspiciously and sniffed the air. "Is Inu-koro here?"

I raised a cool brow. "What if he is?"

Kouga glared all around him before yelling, as if Inuyasha was either far away or extremely deaf. "Kagome's _my_ woman, ya hear me?! You're dead!"

"Kouga!" I said sharply, glaring up at him. "For one he's not deaf and he's sitting right beside me! And another I'm not your woman! And… Inuyasha's not dead. You saw his body, didn't you? It's still warm."

"And yet, it doesn't breathe, does it?" Kouga said, staring at me hard. "It just rests there, an inanimate object. He's not coming back, Kagome. Even if we kill Naraku, he's not coming back."

I looked away, not willing to believe him.

"Scenes like this always amuse me."

Ice slid down my spine in a painful caress, and it felt as though my heart was seized in my chest. I couldn't breathe for a moment, panic and fear clouding my judgment and making me useless as I merely sat, frozen to the ground to stare over at Naraku in horror. What was he doing here? There was no way we'd be able to defeat him all on our own. As if reading my mind, Naraku's red eyes slid from Kouga's to mine, and a gentle smile suddenly crossed his face. "Ah, Kikyo. You really shouldn't have left me, you know."

I didn't say anything; I couldn't.

He shook his head as if scolding a child. "Now I will have to kill you. A pity really, especially after I waited so long. Five hundred years is an awful long time to wait for anybody, isn't it?"

"What the hell are you doing here?" Kouga snarled, already moving in front of me to block the hanyou stare. "Did you honestly think to come back here and try to take Kagome again?"

"Take her?" Naraku looked surprised. "Not at all. I came to kill her. I don't want to, but sometimes it has to be done when I am disobeyed."

Kouga studied him for a moment, his blue eyes icy. "You've changed. I remember you, even from all the way back then. Tell me, Naraku, when did you change from a calculating maniac to full out insane?"

The ground rumbled when a flash of something dark was seen in Naraku's eyes, but he quickly laughed and waved his hand in the air in a dismissive gesture. "I don't know what you're talking about."

I still sat, useless, and stared at the hanyou known as Naraku. He did this. He's the one that started this entire mess. If he had just left Kikyo alone, she most likely would never have become tainted. If he had just been selfless enough in his love/obsession, he would have wanted her to be happy with Inuyasha, instead of tainting her mind to the point of near insanity, before bringing her back to finish off Inuyasha.

He hadn't achieved it, though. Kagome had to remember that. Even in her insane state, with wounds that had already killed her, instead of giving into Naraku's will she simply pinned him instead of killed him. That meant that there was a possibility that Naraku wasn't as strong as he led others to believe. Maybe there was a way to kill him without Sesshoumaru.

Kouga growled low, and before I could blink he launched himself at Naraku. I heard a small keening, a sound desperate and afraid, and I realized it was coming from me. I quickly stopped, looking to Inuyasha with desperation in my eyes. "What can I do? I'm just a human. I don't have superpowers like you!"

"Kagome, you're a miko, and right now you're on holy ground." Inuyasha spoke low, his calm face and serious eyes making the panic I was feeling lower, and I nodded slowly as if in a trance. 

I wasn't embarrassed to be hanging on his every word; I needed his reassurance. "You're strong. I'm not even physically here and I can feel the holy power in you that makes you a miko. Find a weapon. Search the storage room; I'm sure I saw that crazy old man place a few relics inside over the years."

The crazy old man had to be my grandfather, and I would have smiled if the situation were different. At present, I jerked my eyes to the side when I heard Kouga cry out, and I watched him clutch his side as a tree like root jerked out of his flesh. I saw Naraku, grinning maniacally, and turned nauseous. The handsome (albeit evil) man's body had suddenly turned into a mass of spider limbs and tree like roots bubbling out of him, and I had to stifle a cry of fear.

"Focus, Kagome!" I snapped my eyes back to Inuyasha. "While he's distracted with Kouga, go find a bow!"

"H-hai!" I scrambled away from the courtyard after sparing Kouga a worried look, and I didn't stop until I stumbled against the storage shed and jerked open the doors with shaky hands. I didn't care that the objects in the room were probably hundreds of years old and shrine property, probably costing a huge fortune – I swiped my hands along the counters and tossed everything to the floor as I dug through the mess, trying to find some sort of weapon. Inuyasha said bow, so I focused hard on finding one.

I ran to another shed and was about to give it similar treatment, when I found a long bow and a quiver of arrows leaning up against the corner. I had no idea what to do with them, but Inuyasha said grab a bow, I grabbed a bow, since it was the only thing my panicked mind could grasp. I stumbled back into the courtyard, crying out the minute I saw Kouga on his knees and coughing up blood. Kouga!

"Kouga!" I cried out, and instantly regretted it the minute the sound escaped, because now Naraku's gaze was focused on me.

He smirked when he saw the bow and arrows, and then started a slow pace towards me. "Ah, Kikyo, you know you'd never hurt me. Don't you remember the tender loving care you gave me during those dark nights? The light of your single candle burned brightly, and your gentle hands caressed me so lovingly as you tried to heal me with your herbs."

He shook his head, musing over his memories. "You wouldn't recognize me right now with this new body I had acquired, but I think you approve. After all, no one wanted to look at a charred body as a husband for the rest of their lives."

"Stay back!" I tried to yell, but it came out in a whisper. I felt so pathetic. All my bravado was for nothing, for now that the enemy was here, in front of me, insecurities flooded my being and left me useless. I don't have the confidence of centuries on my back like Kouga and Sesshoumaru! I can't summon wind like Kagura or shoot a holy arrow like Kikyo! I'm just Kagome, a modern girl that never had any use to learn the kind of things needed to kill such an unimaginable foe.

Naraku smiled gently at me, even as one of his grotesque tree limbs rose before him like a spear. "I'm sorry, my love. But you shouldn't have disobeyed me."

Then it shot out directly at me, aiming for my heart.

"Kagome!" I heard Inuyasha's desperate cry, but at the moment I could do nothing but close my eyes and wait for the end.

Suddenly I was enveloped in pink light, and I opened my eyes, amazed, as I watched from up above as the battle played out before me. I don't understand what happened; all I know is that my side was burning something fierce, and I looked down and realized I was glowing. I remember so long ago when Rin pointed to that exact spot, but I didn't know why, and in Sesshoumaru's study when Kagura looked down and grew suddenly afraid, knowing with certainty that I was a miko. How could they have noticed, but I never saw it? And what was this pink light? It seemed so familiar...

_You know what this is. _

I shook my head, focusing my eyes below to the battle field.

Kagura showed up, looking worried as she looked around the clearing and couldn't find me. Kouga was still on his knees, glaring with hate and tears in his eyes at Naraku. The evil hanyou laughed. "Well, I guess it was easier taking care of her than I thought. I thought I would feel something more from my other half, but it seems that throughout the centuries he's grown content."

Kagura snarled at him, flipped open a metal fan and holding it out to her side, and I watched in amazement as the wind picked up into a small tornado around her. Naraku frowned when the wind put a small cut on his cheek under his eye, and he glared at Kagura. "You think Sesshoumaru would have put an end to you after you lost your resourcefulness, but it seems I was mistaken."

"Don't talk to me, you slime! You held me prisoner for too long! And now you've killed Kagome!" She snarled, then brought her whole arm down and sent a huge gust of wind at Naraku.

The attack sliced off much of his grotesque form, but he only laughed and sent it back straight at her, moving to the side to reveal a small girl with white hair and nearly white vacant eyes, a small mirror held in her hands. Kagura gasped, her eyes wide and pain filled.

"Kanna?" she whispered, right before her own attack hit her and she screamed, her skin being sliced open by the harsh wind. She flew back, slamming up against the God Tree to lie, and then crumbled into a bloody heap on the ground.

"Kagura!" I screamed, unable to keep silent any longer. Was I really dead? Am I really that powerless to help my friends? Really that useless?

_No._

I blinked tear filled eyes and looked around as suddenly the scene before me disappeared, and I screamed as a beam of pure white light hurdled towards me, before I blinked and found myself in a class room filled with high school students. "W-what?"

I dazedly looked around, jumping when three pairs of hands suddenly slammed on my desk, and I looked up at the three girls with wide, confused eyes.

"Kagome!" One girl demanded, and I didn't really know what to say, so I didn't say anything. She had dark brown, chin-length hair and fire in her dark eyes, her tan skin glowing with good health. "What's up with you and Hojo?"

Another girl who had been nodding in agreement, suddenly leaned forward and invaded my space. She had a yellow bandanna as a head band in her shoulder length black hair, her expression almost mimicking the first girl. "Yeah! Everyone is talking about how he gave you that box of chocolates – in front of the entire student body to boot!"

The last girl, one I almost forgot was even there since her presence was more reserved, studied me with a serene smile on her calm face. She had curly shoulder-length, mild brown highlighted hair that she kept back with a black broach, and seemed more mature than the other two. I wanted to say it was the fact that she didn't have bangs that made her seem more mature, but it was also that calm smile she wore on her face rather than the scrunched up faces of determination of the two other girls.

She smiled brightly, and then said in a cheerful voice. "I'll help you on your quest for love, Kagome-chan!"

The two other girls blinked at her, baffled, before turning back to me with narrowed eyes. "Spill the beans! Why didn't you tell us you were interested in Hojo?"

Hojo? I stared at them, dumbfounded, and wondered what the hell they were talking about. "Um, excuse me?"

"Don't give me that!" The first girl said, leaning forward to stare at me suspiciously. "You're not in a secret love affair with Hojo, are you?"

Vaguely, I recalled a boy named Hojo who had been the most popular kid in school, but had never spared me a second glance in high school since I had been the outcast. I studied each girl's faces and realized that I must be hallucinating, because I was back in high school and these three girls were part of the popular set, and again had never looked twice at me as a friend when I was still in school.

I felt a yearning streak through me, because I remembered while growing up how desperately I had wanted to be their friends, and how I hated my abilities and the fact that their parents told them to stay away from me. I wished it were possible to have a boyfriend like Hojo, so maybe now I'd have more skill with boys and I'd know how to treat Inuyasha.

_This could be yours. They could be yours. Best friends, almost like sisters, and Hojo could be yours as well. You could have a normal life, with normal friends, and never have the burden of being forced to interact with the dead. This life, this dream, could be yours. All you have to do is say the word, and your wish will be granted._

Time seemed to slow down to the point where everything was moving in slow motion, before slowing down to a complete stop. I looked around carefully, seeing so many kids that looked so comfortable around me, unlike how it really had been when I had been in school. I looked at the three girls, remembering their names of Yuka, Eri, and Ayumi, and I ached with the knowledge that they, in another life, would have been my friends.

_It doesn't have to be a dream. I could make your wish come true. I could make everything come true. Just a make a wish and I will grant it. _

A wish… a wish that could make me normal. A wish that could take all the sorrows of my past away. I could have best friends like Yuka, Eri, and Ayumi, and have a normal boyfriend like Hojo, who had always been the most handsome boy in school. My mother would love me unconditionally, and she wouldn't be so damn disappointed in me, her only daughter, for doing the things I do. I could... I could finally be...

_Normal._

Suddenly, I chilled at the thought, as I remembered another me that had once been willing to do anything to achieve her goal of normality. I remembered another me who had loved someone so much that they grew too selfish and too focused on a dream that, in the end, had only belonged to one of them.

"I wish…" I whispered, and though I couldn't see who the voice was, the air around me seemed to shiver in anticipation. "I wish…"

Suddenly the school was swiped away, and once again I was staring down at the courtyard. Naraku stood in the middle, a foot pressing down on Kouga's wounds and making him gasp, when Sesshoumaru suddenly appeared at the top of the shrines steps, his gaze hitting Naraku and Kouga with bland observation before he catches sight of Kagura's bloody form, and his face freezes.

I watched, enraptured, as a look I've never seen before twists Sesshoumaru's face. There was so much pain, so much rage, that suddenly odd markings appeared on him before becoming jagged. Even from my vantage point I was afraid. The normal Sesshoumaru was calm and collected, never reacting to anything that happens and always keeping that bored look on his face, as if everything around him was vermin and he was god. But this expression… oh, it took my breath away.

Absently I smiled, because I knew Kagura would be happy. The only thing she ever wanted was to have Sesshoumaru love her, and now she would finally have her proof. I'm going to have to tell her his reaction when she wakes up. She _would_ – I refused to believe that she was dead.

Sesshoumaru pulled out a sword I hadn't noticed he carried with him, and I watched in amazement as blue lightening seemed to crackle off the blade, making the air and earth tremble with its power. He raised it above his head and dropped it in an arch, and a wave of power erupted off the blade, sending a shockwave of energy through the ground towards Naraku. The concrete of the courtyard upended and turned to rubble from the burst of power, and I watched as fear widened Naraku's eyes as the force of the attack hit him dead on.

"Kouga!" I screamed, watching as his poor body was thrown into the house, his body actually going through the wall and into the space inside.

When the shockwave dissipated, Naraku stood breathing heavily on the roof of the well house, glaring at Sesshoumaru with contempt. "Why are you involved? You shouldn't concern yourself with mortal troubles!"

"You cannot defeat me." Sesshoumaru said calmly, taking slow even steps towards his enemy. "You will die."

"Why do you care for the mortal girl? She's nothing to you! Just let me accomplish my mission and you can go back to being a god!" Naraku shouted desperately, and I knew why. Sesshoumaru was as close to a living God than any other being, and I knew that he was one demon that will not ever be defeated.

He had already been strong five hundred years previous when he warned Inuyasha about Kikyo – and had those five hundred years to do nothing but grow even stronger. Naraku made the mistake of hurting Kagura, the only person in the world that Sesshoumaru cherished, and now he was going to pay the price.

Sesshoumaru didn't deign to answer, instead raised his sword one last time.

I gasped, realizing that if he attacked, he'd hit Inuyasha's body. I looked down at the bow and arrow in my hands, wondering how on earth I'd be able to use them.

_Make your wish, girl. One wish, and everything you've ever desired will be yours._

"I wish you'd leave me alone!" I cried, notching an arrow and aiming it like I've seen them do in movies. "You speak of wishes and desires as if they're nothing! And they are nothing if I dont have Inuyasha with me to enjoy them! I want Inuyasha! I _wish_ to keep Inuyasha safe and _alive_ with me!"

Tears blurred my vision as I aimed at the evil man known as Naraku, and I desperately wished this would work. "I _wish_ to stay exactly as I am with Inuyasha, to be there with him through all the hard times to come. I _wish_ to love him and care for him – forever! Because dreams just aren't worth dreaming if he's not there to dream them too!"

_Good girl._

I don't know why, but I think the voice was smiling. With a cry, I released the arrow, squeezing my eyes shut tight and praying with all my might. "Please hit my mark!"

The pink bubble I was in suddenly burst, and as I fell to the ground I watched as my arrow flew straight and strong directly at Naraku in a blaze of pink magic, and I felt a moment of jubilation when I realized my mark would hit. And then… oh god!

It went straight _through_ him.

His body dissolved as the energy hit him full force, but then hit the roof of the well house and made it explode in thousands of pieces, and I watched, horrified, as suddenly the entire house collapsed as the foundation gave out.

Sesshoumaru lowered his sword and walked by my suddenly limp form, kneeling by Kagura and running a tender hand down her bloody cheek. He cradled her in his arms before slowly standing, turning to me with cold eyes.

"Tell the houshi I will reimburse him for the damages." With that, he turned and walked slowly down the steps of the shrine before disappearing completely from my sight.

I could only sit there, empty, as I watched the last of my hope shatter, falling around me like broken glass, my heart along with it.

"Inuyasha…"

/\\

_Six months later…_

"Damnit, Kouga! What did I tell you about respecting personal property?" I growled, standing up from my spot on the floor in front of the television. Kouga had literally kicked the door open, right after I just had the last one fixed!

Kouga dropped his head sheepishly, grinning apologetically. "Sorry, Kag's. I can't help it! Are you really so angry I'm eager to see you?"

"Since it involves me spending more money, yes." I snapped, gingerly shutting the door behind him. I had barely squeaked by on rent this month, and it didn't help matters when Kouga had a habit of continually breaking my things. "And what are you even doing over here? You know I'm having lunch with Reika and Kagura in about thirty minutes, don't you?"

A grin suddenly lit his handsome face, but his eyes looked almost sad. "But I have a surprise for you. I thought you'd be eager to see it."

I brushed by him, ignoring the expression on his face as I grabbed my purse. "Maybe later."

"Are you sure? It's at Sesshoumaru's house."

That made me pause, but only for a moment. "I said maybe later."

I hated being so mean, but after the wrecking crew came by and cleared away the debris from the well house and I discovered that Inuyasha's body was not inside… I shivered, blinking back tears because I knew it was my fault. I killed my only love, and I would have to deal with that for the rest of my life. Not even his spirit stuck around, and even though I was happy he was able to go happily to the afterlife, it hurt that he hadn't stuck around to say goodbye.

But then, who would want to say goodbye to the person that killed you – twice?

Kouga continually asked me out once he figured I'd be done "crying over Inu-koro" and had been too pushy lately. Especially lately, I thought with a frown. As if he thought that if he didn't get me now he never would. To be honest, he probably would 'get me' eventually, since I knew realistically I would mourn Inuyasha forever, but eventually I'd get tired of being alone. But Kouga lacked the patience I needed to heal just a little bit more. It wouldn't be fair to start anything with him now, especially in the state that I'm in.

Because I was still so, so desperately in love with Inuyasha.

I sighed and climbed in a taxi, giving the name of the restaurant before sitting back and watching the city go by in a blur. I blinked back my tears and sniffled, hating the fact that I was still so very weak.

Sango had, surprisingly, an astounding knowledge on martial arts and self defense, and had filled my lonely hours with back breaking exercises that taught me how to battle, which would be helpful if another incident full of demons happened to come my way. Her help, along with Miroku's surprising knowledge about holy powers, helped me start sensing people's auras, and even now as I sat in the taxi, I was amazed at how full Tokyo was of demons, and wondered why I never felt them there before.

Miroku taught me how to use my powers to the best of his ability, but since our core beliefs were so different, it was a very limited extent. But still, I was able to erect shields, heal, and infuse arrows with holy magic. Before I would have laughed and said that I didn't need to know skills like this, but after everything I've been through I wasn't going to risk anything. Kikyo's voice had long since left my head, and I felt content knowing that I was finally just me, not a part of her, and that she would no longer be filling my dreams with her memories.

My life, for me anyways, was back to normal.

I paid the cab fair and smiled before walking to my friends who had chosen a table outside so we can all enjoy the afternoon sunlight. Reika stood and smiled, leaning in to give me a kiss on the cheek. Kagura merely huffed and took a sip of ice water, but her eyes were warm as they watched me sit down.

She sniffed the air before wrinkling her nose. "I take it the wolf paid you a visit?"

"Yeah," I grumbled. "Broke my door again. He's going to pay for it this time!"

Reika rolled her eyes as she sat down next to me. "Why don't you just go out with the poor guy? I don't see anything wrong with him for you to want to keep your distance."

I averted my eyes, thinking of Inuyasha. Reika didn't know, and I had no plans to tell her. Sometimes, ignorance really was bliss. Besides, I didn't want to speak out loud my pain, for it would only make it worse. Kagura seemed to sense my distress, for she turned to Reika with a sly smile. "Maybe she doesn't like the rugged ones. Maybe if we introduce her to an ugly male she would be more interested. Although I don't see why she'd want one. Men can be awfully tedious."

Reika had long since become accustomed to Kagura's odd mannerisms and her sometimes derogatory remarks concerning men (caused by spending years in servitude to Naraku), and had already became fast friends with the demon. She laughed, raising a hand to motion for the waiter. "Nah. Someone as pretty as Kagome needs someone else as pretty as she is. Maybe someone with light hair to compliment her dark."

I looked away, losing my humor. Again, Kagura came to my rescue. "Let's stop talking this nonsense. Men are only interesting when there's something to be gained, anyways."

She was filling bitter, since about a month ago she and Sesshoumaru had gotten into a big argument. Kagura wanted to marry the arrogant man after five centuries and the stubborn demon lord had told her no. Kagura had left, warning him that she waited for him long enough and that if he truly wanted her he'd come find her because she was tired of doing the chasing. So far, he's kept his distance and has not contacted her at all, sometimes making Kagura irritating company with her snarky remarks towards men in general.

I never minded, because it wasn't like I had a guy and I wasn't looking for one, and it helped Kagura to vent a little. Miroku, and especially Kouga, didn't appreciate it at all however, and held an extreme dislike for the sexy demon. She stopped wearing her Chinese cheongsam and settled for designer dresses that turned heads wherever she went, because no matter what she wore she would always be a striking woman.

I sighed, ordering a soup and salad, and changed the subject. We talked throughout the meal about different subjects, ranging from Reika's modeling career and how Kagura was getting bored, so she was thinking about opening a classy boutique of some kind. I, of course, was still in my ghost hunting profession, and made just as much as I did before Inuyasha came into my life and I didn't have Miroku's hefty check to float me. I never did figure out how he had so much money, and he never cared to tell me. I'd find out one day, I suppose, since it's not as if it's a big deal.

When our meal was finished and our checks paid, Kagura looked at me with a slight demand in her ruby eyes. "Come with me to Sesshoumaru's mansion. I have a few things I need to grab and I don't feel like seeing that insufferable man by myself."

I nodded, a little distracted by my thoughts, and stood with her. Reika and I said our goodbyes before I followed Kagura to her sleek Mercedes. We drove in silence; since Kagura seemed to get even more vexed the closer we came to Sesshoumaru's house. She snarled to herself as she was permitted through the gates, her hands nearly crushing the steering wheel in her fury.

"Insufferable man." She hissed, glaring at the building. "He's going to think I came crawling back here to him."

I smiled wryly. "Trust me, Kagura; with the way you're acting right now I'm sure he's going to know you mean business."

She shook her head, the motion almost jerking. "No. You don't understand. I can't seem to control myself around him. If I see him again, I just know I'm going to snap."

I started when little tears of frustration appeared in her eyes, and I instinctively reaching over to touch her hand. "It'll be okay. Just remember that's its going to be all or nothing with him, and remember that he will come after you. I told you how he was that… that day. He loves you, Kagura. All you have to do is be patient for a little while longer."

"I've been patient long enough!" she snapped, turning to glare at me. "Five hundred years is more than enough!"

"Is he worth it?" I asked quietly, knowing that if I was able I'd wait a thousand years if it meant I'd be with my Inuyasha.

Kagura looked away. "Yes." She said quietly. "He is."

"Then that's all you need to know. Let's go and get this over with. No use letting the bastard think you're afraid to go inside."

The demon's ruby lips twisted into a wry smile before she sighed. "You're right. Let's go."

I started chattering nonstop after that, trying to keep her distracted from her thoughts as we made our way deeper into the house towards the bedrooms. Rounding the corner, I rammed into someone rushing past me, papers flying everywhere. Groaning, I knelt down to help pick up the papers, looking up with an apologetic smile. "I'm sorry about that; I wasn't looking where I was going."

All I saw was a flash of black hair and violet eyes, before the man continued on his way, practically running down the hallway. I glared after him, leaving the papers, and sniffed towards Kagura. "How rude! Is everyone in this household lacking common decency?"

Kagura had an odd look in her eyes as she stared at the retreating figure and back to me before repeating the gesture, and she suddenly turned in the direction opposite of her room and towards where the man had run to. "I think we should see Sesshoumaru."

"What?" I asked, shocked. "I thought you didn't want to."

"I changed my mind." She snapped, suddenly turning to follow the rude man down the hall way.

Grumbling to myself, I followed her.

As we neared the study, I heard raised voices, and for some reason my heart started to beat incessantly fast.

"I'm not a fucking prisoner here, ya know?! Just because you claim to be my brother doesn't mean you can boss me around!"

That voice…

My throat was too tight suddenly, and I couldn't breath as I reached a trembling hand out and turned the door knob, pushing the door open to stare at the two males inside. The dark haired man who had ran into me so rudely stood with his back to me, his black hair in a similar style to Miroku's except he didn't have a pony tail. His shoulders were so wide, so strong, and those hands I thought I would recognize from anywhere.

"Inu… yasha?" I whispered so low I didn't think he'd hear me, but he turned anyways to glare at me from over his shoulder.

"Who the hell are you?" he snapped, angry at being interrupted.

I crumbled to the floor, tears streaming down my face. I hardly noticed when Kagura pulled Sesshoumaru out of the room, my entire focus entirely on the man that had my Inuyasha's face, yet not his golden eyes or snow white hair. It couldn't be him.

He looked around the room, suddenly realizing that we were alone, and I watched as he growled and ran a frustrated hand through his hair. "God Damnit! He can't keep me here for fucking forever!"

"What… what do you mean?" I managed to ask, wiping away my tears with shaky fingers as I stood on legs felt like jelly.

"That bastard Sesshoumaru. Found me a little while ago roaming the city with amnesia, and claims that I'm his brother. I went with him at first since he had a cool car and I kind of needed a place to stay, but this is ridiculous. He hardly lets me out of the house! And he's such a freak with his inhuman strength – even when I try to make a run for it he always catches me. I don't know what the big fucking deal is!"

My breathing seized, and just like that hope bloomed all over again. Kouga with his surprise, and now this. It had to be him. I don't know what happened to his ears or his hair, but that was my Inuyasha, I knew it. But why did Sesshoumaru try and hide him from me? "Your… your name is Inuyasha, right?"

He frowned at me suspiciously, but there was something in his eyes that made me feel warm inside. "Yeah. What of it?"

I cried a little more then, and walked until my arms were around him, and my head resting on his chest. He squawked, going rigid. "W-what are you doing?"

"I'm hugging you, you idiot." I rubbed my cheek against his chest, smiling like a ninny, and listened to his heart beat. "I'm Kagome. Kagome Higurashi, and I'm begging you…"

He was so stiff underneath me that I thought he'd push me away, but then he relaxed slightly and placed his hands on my shoulders. "Begging me? For what?"

I looked into his eyes, and he looked so confused my heart ached, but with joy. It was him. I knew it. "Please…" I whispered, standing up on my tip toes until my lips were barely an inch away from his. "Don't you ever leave me again."

I kissed him then, rejoicing in the fact that I could, and my soul so light with joy that I started crying all over again, before my sobs got the best of me and I had to pull away to hug him tighter, my head once again on his chest and listening to the beat of his heart. I could listen to it forever.

Bump-bump. Bump-bump. Bump-bump.

"Oh, Inuyasha…" I whispered as I hugged him tightly, uncaring that he probably thought me deranged from the way I was hanging on to him. "Inuyasha…"

It seems that I'll finally get my chance to grow old with you, won't I Inuyasha? I'll help get your memory back. And even if you never do, I'll make sure we'll fall in love all over again, because there's no way Fate would be so cruel as to part us now. So for now, please just let me hold you, and feel your warmth and the strong pulse of your heart, beating so quickly along with mine.

Bump-bump…

/\\

Bad ending, yes, but I'm notorious for them, so you all will just have to deal with it.

Now though this is the last chapter, the epilogue is still coming up, so stay tuned and review so I know what you guys are thinking. This is the time to put all your questions, demands, and needs! If you have questions about the next chapter, now is the time to input what you think should be in it! If not, I'll just write it my way and hope you guys like it anyways.

Until next time...

Luna


	16. Chapter 15

Standard disclaimer applies.

Thanks for all the responses! Here's the final chapter, I hope I don't disappoint!

In case of any confusion, I once again tried to weave the actual episode in with the chapter. But I didn't know the script, just a general description. I'd tell you what really happened, because last chapter was in no shape or form what really happened in the manga/anime, but I think that's one spoiler I won't reveal. If you really want to know (no script, just general description) look it up on Wikipedia. Someone recently did a fully loaded update.

/

**My Sixth Sense**

**Chapter Fifteen: My Sixth Sense**

**By: Luna**

/\\\

Life, as I knew it, moved on.

I was still considered a ghost hunter. Reika (and now Kagura) still thought that I ate like an ungraceful pig when someone woke me up too early and I needed a sugar rush.

Sesshoumaru still ignored Kagura, for he had mistakenly assumed Kagura had went to his house for him, which of course caused her to curse unlady-like words in the demons face before gathering her belongings – and me – and going to her own mansion to lick her wounds with a jug of chocolate ice cream and whip cream. I had been sworn to secrecy to never reveal the demoness' penchant for chocolate.

Sesshoumaru, after all, _was_ a dog.

Souta went on to his senior year in high school, already breaking hearts with his boyish good looks. Mother and I got along better for some reason, and I wasn't going to risk asking what caused the change just in case I jinxed myself. I was, after all, extremely unlucky. Grandpa still hid his sweets from mother, yelling at her every time he was caught that at his age if he hadn't gotten diabetes yet, he never will. At the reminder, however, I had guiltily stopped buying him more sugar. Surely the amounts he inhaled daily were not good for him, and he _was_ getting old.

Right now, I had the unfortunate business of being the receiver of such pathetic looks from my grandfather, I was sure I was about to go mad and just buy him some damn candy so he'd stop looking at me like that.

"You don't love me anymore, do you?" He asked so solemnly; so sadly, that I actually wavered as I packed folded laundry into my overnight bag.

"Eh heh, what are you saying, Jii-chan?" I hedged, moving slightly away from him as his expression turned even more pitiful.

"You don't bring me sweets anymore. You've sided with your mother against me. Even Souta won't look me in the eyes anymore." He bemoaned, looking down at his hands as if he were dwindling away.

I edged a bit more away from him, feeling myself weaken. "Souta doesn't look you in the eyes because you won't stop looking at him like you're looking at me right now. S-stop it, Jii-chan!"

Sensing impeding victory, the old man sidled up to me even more. "Stop what? I'm just a lonely old man, wasting away under his family's negligence."

I was saved, thank God, when the front door slammed open and Souta hollered his presence. I sighed in relief and made a dash downstairs, my laundry bag hefted over my shoulder like a sack of potatoes as I shouted before I slammed the door shut. "Good to see ya love ya bye!"

Souta had taken one look at me and escaped with me out the front door before grandpa could start on him too. He looked sidelong at me, a thoughtful look on his face. "Gonna try again?"

I sniffed as if the thought that I'd give up was insulting. Which, of course, it really was. "Of course I am. He's not going to escape me so easily this time."

He, of course, being Inuyasha. The blasted man had been avoiding me like the plague. Luckily when Sesshoumaru saw how I was 'torturing' his younger brother, he practically gave me the key to his house, warning me to only use it if he wasn't in attendance. Inuyasha, the idiot, seemed to rather claw at the walls than spend time with me, and though I'd never admit, the jerk was really starting to hurt my feelings.

Why was he avoiding me? Weren't we in love? Or at least in strong like?

Seeing my despondent look, Souta nudged me with an elbow before slinging an arm around my shoulders. Goodness, he was getting so tall. "Don't worry, Kagome, he'll come around eventually. I don't know how he was before, but I remember how _you_ were when you were with him, and you don't fall in love with someone and fight so hard if that someone didn't love you back."

I frowned a little, not liking what he was implying. "Souta, I'd want to help them even if I wasn't in love with them."

He gave me another side look and didn't comment for a moment. Then he sighed. "I'm sure you would have helped, but I'm wondering if you really would have gone through all the trouble. You know, having those weird dreams, almost getting killed, getting kidnapped – almost getting killed again. Sorry, but I'm not too sure you would have pursued it after the first threat on your life."

I kept quiet, hurt at Souta's words. But I couldn't exactly dispute him, because I was honestly at a loss myself. I was not a strong person; I bruise easily, and I scare easily too. It might be true that I had my moments of bravery, but it was obvious to everyone that, when it came down to it… I was very much a coward.

And I have never felt so ashamed.

I wondered if maybe that was the reason Inuyasha was so resistant to me. If maybe he remembered my cowardice and was turned away from it. Or maybe he just hated me on a deeper level for turning him into something he no longer wanted to be: human.

I stopped, suddenly sick to my stomach and ignored the worried look Souta sent me. That was it. It had to be it. He resented me. There could be no other explanation than that, for I did not believe – refused to believe – that he would ignore me otherwise. Any other option just hurt too much to consider.

I smiled wanly when Souta voiced his concern, but I ignored him and continued my way down the house stairs and towards the rail instead of taking a cab. Still, when I stood in front of Sesshoumaru's mansion, I wavered. Inuyasha did not remember me, and it almost seemed as if he never would. Even if he _did_ remember me, from the way he was acting it was as if he really didn't want to be near me.

At first I had thought he had been joking. I mean, come on, Inuyasha not wanting to even _look_ at me? He might have disappeared from time to time, but while we were together it seemed his favorite past time had been to merely sit beside me and watch me while I rested. But this Inuyasha…

I cried a little, remembering Inuyasha's expression every day I had shown up for these last couple of months. He did not want me to be there. I, of course, pretended I wasn't effected, telling everyone it would be just like a battle and I'd just have to continually beat at the walls before he let me in… when in reality I knew it was nowhere close. Inuyasha – this Inuyasha – did not want me.

I palmed the key, fiddling with the bell I had wrapped around the end so I'd never lose it, and slowly traced the mansion walls with my eyes. I loved Inuyasha. I loved his past, I loved his present, and I loved the strong man he had become even in his years of ghostly isolation. I loved his hanyou ears and golden eyes, and I loved too the dark hair and violet eyes he now had. I may not be able to grow old with him like my past and current self wanted, but I at least had the strength to turn away, even when I didn't want to.

Kikyo had wished him to be happy. _I_ had wished him to be happy and alive, to be with me in any way that was possible. It seems both our futures with him had stopped after those wishes, and us being together just wasn't meant to be. My eyes caught at a shadow watching me from behind one of the glasses, but I couldn't tell who it was because the reflection was too hazy. I smiled as cheerfully as I could even when I felt tears start to streak down my cheeks, before I took the key and chucked it over the massive gates protecting Sesshoumaru's home, and I watched it land and watched the sun reflect off of it while lying in the grass. Then I took a deep breath and let it out slowly and was finally, _finally_, able to say, "Goodbye… Inuyasha."

I didn't mean it. Of course I didn't mean it. I didn't want to say goodbye anymore than he wanted me to be near him, and yet I knew it had to be done. I'm done with begging. I'm done with feeling hurt at every rejection. It was time to man up and do the right thing, even if the right thing was the last thing I really wanted to do.

I made sure I didn't look back, and didn't let my shoulders fall until I was encased in Sango's arms at the shrine, crying my eyes out and hating myself for it. Sango stroked my hair and even rocked me a little, her cheek rested atop my head. We were sitting in the living room where she and Miroku had been watching TV when I had suddenly burst inside and went straight into Sango's arms. Miroku had quietly excused himself and left us to ourselves.

"What happened?" Sango asked in that quiet, serious voice of hers.

"I let him go." I hiccupped. "Sango, I finally let him go."

She said nothing – what could she say? – and stroked my hair until I stopped crying. I straightened and gave her a watery smile, and she stood and made her way to the door. "Let me make us some tea. I'll have Miroku leave and I'll call Reika and Kagura and we'll have a girls night in, and we can bash men all night until we're satisfied. How's that?"

I smiled. "It sounds wonderful. You're the best, Sango."

Sango smiled and disappeared to the kitchen. I wandered around the room and looked at all her family photos. I smiled at the ones with her and Miroku, some silly, some serious. I wondered at the picture of a young boy, his face tan and freckled, standing next to a tall, strong man with broad shoulders and arms and fists the size of hams. I saw Sango in both of them, and knew this had to be her father and younger brother, both deceased.

Sango seemed to be taking a long time, so when I discovered her home videos I only felt a little guilty when I popped one in and watched it flash on the screen. They were in the park, and I think it was when Miroku was proposing to her because he kept on shooting nervous glances to the camera man, obviously hidden because the bottom half of Sango was hidden by leaves. They were in the middle of an argument, and I wondered about what.

"I can't believe you! You stuffed food in your pants!" She ranted while Miroku stood in front of her with his hands in his pockets and a sheepish grin on his face.

He tried for innocent when he said, "I'm your boyfriend! You're supposed to support me no matter what's in my pants!"

I snorted on a laugh and watched as Sango fought back a grin before glaring at her boyfriend. "Soon to be ex-boyfriend if you keep that up. I'm going to start pretending I don't know you if you keep that up!"

"Do you know what I think?" Miroku said with a smile and took a step towards her.

"If I said yes do you still have to tell me?" She asked dryly, her stance softening with every inch he crept closer to her.

"I think you should marry me, then we'll be stuck together forever and you can't pretend you don't know me." He said this as he pulled out something from his pocket. I couldn't see the design, but it glinted in the sunlight.

Sango gasped, her eyes tearing up. "A-are you serious?"

"Sango, you are the only woman I have ever told I love you. You are the only one I ever will." Then he stopped, gave her a lopsided smile, and shrugged. "Well, except for my mom, of course. Won't you marry me?"

She cried and threw her arms around his neck while screaming, "Yes!"

I shut off the TV, jealous and sad.

I heard someone come in, and I turned with a smile. "Sango, why didn't you tell me Miroku could be so roman…tic?"

Inuyasha stood there, his hands in his pockets and an uncomfortable look on his face. I stood frozen. Not because I couldn't move, but because I didn't want to. If I did, I'd start crying, and then he'd be even more uncomfortable. Why was he here?

He scuffed his feet against the carpet, shifted. "Sorry. I kind of barged in."

I swallowed the lump in my throat and managed a shaky smile. "Sango went to get tea. Would you like a seat? She'll be back shortly."

He went to sit down at the couch I gestured to, but then thought better of it and stood awkwardly just a few short feet away. I looked around, desperate for an escape, and was relieved when Sango finally came in. She stopped, surprised when she saw Inuyasha. "Oh… I didn't know Miroku let you in."

"He didn't. Not really. Sorry, I let myself in." Inuyasha repeated, obviously uncomfortable and shooting me looks I didnt know how to interpret.

If there was a word for the look Sango was giving Inuyasha, I'd say it was glacier. "Then you can let yourself out. I do not like trespassers."

When he moved to leave, the tea cups on her tray suddenly shattered, and she dropped the tray as if it burned. We both turned to look at Inuyasha, and he jumped back as if we were going to hit him.

"It wasn't me!" He yelped, stumbling a little when the corner of the coffee table jammed into the back of his calf.

I looked around slowly, and finally saw someone who had been here all along. Kohaku. The little boy in the photographs. He looked so angry, yet so sad. I kept my eyes on him, afraid he'd disappear. "So it was you." I said calmly. "It had been you all along."

Sango froze. Inuyasha froze. Everyone watched me while I spoke. Kohaku sniffled ghostly tears. "She's going to forget about me. She's with that stupid Miroku, and she's going to be happy and forget I ever existed. I'm not going to leave and let her forget all about me!"

I stepped closer, my eyes softening, and knelt down until I was eye level. "Kohaku, she couldn't forget you even if she tried. She loves you. She always will. Don't you love her? Don't you wish for her to be happy?"

He wavered, and I knew he didn't want to be here any longer. He had probably thought that for a while now since nothing had been broken these last few months, and he was finally showing himself to me. I think he kept himself hidden because he didnt want to leave, but even ghosts get lonely. I don't think he wants to be alone anymore. He avoided my eyes only to look up at his older sister, standing frozen with tears in her eyes. He looked at me. "Will he make her happy?"

"He already does. Every day, he makes her happy." I thought of Inuyasha and everything I was willing to go through just for him.

"Just the thought of him makes her smile. He's willing to do anything for her… even to the point of letting her go. Let her be happy, Kohaku." I said, but he was already gone.

I cleared my throat and stood to give Sango a hug. "It's all right now, Sango. He wants you to be happy."

"He's… he's gone onto heaven?" She asked tearfully. She shook her head, clearly overwhelmed. "All this time... it had been Kohaku. And just like that he... disappeared?" She looked at me so worriedly I wanted to hug her. "He is in heaven, isn't he?"

I wondered if that was where you go when you die, but smiled and said, "Yes."

"Excuse me, Kagome, but I'll… I'll be right back." She practically flew out the door.

I heard a throat clear, and I stiffened when I remembered Inuyasha was still in the room. I had been hoping he had been a flight of fancy and he wasn't standing there, testing my willpower. Didn't he know how close I was to breaking…?

"I saw you today." He started. "I'm sorry I made you cry."

"It's all right, Inuyasha." I said dully, forcing a smile to my face. _It wouldn't be the first time._ But I didn't say that.

He didn't seem to know what to else to say, and I certainly wasn't going to chime in, so he scuffed his foot again and cleared his throat. "Sesshoumaru said that I'm 'human' because of a wish some dead girl I used to date back in the day made, and because of a wish you made, and whatever the hell you wished on confused to two wishes because you two are the same person and so it granted it to how it thought you wanted it to go… or some sort of mumbo jumbo. He says he doesn't know why I can't remember anything, and wanted to know why it couldn't wish away stupidity as well." He looked irritated as he said that, and I wanted to laugh because I could just imagine Sesshoumaru saying that in his oh-I'm-so-superior tone of voice.

"I guess that makes sense." I said, still not sure if I should say more. He started speaking again, his words so rushed I could barely make sense of them.

"Yeah well… I just wanted to say that I saw you outside the mansion, and I knew that you told me good bye and I…" He stopped only to glare at the ground.

I held my breath. "You what?"

He shrugged. "I guess I kind of freaked when I thought you wouldn't come by to bug me anymore."

He saw my hopeful expression and warned me with a hand held up. "Now I'm not saying jump all over me or anything. I'm just saying, you know, it's all right if you still want to bug me…. If you want to, anyways."

"R-really?" I was almost ashamed my voice cracked, but I was getting too happy and hopeful to care.

"All I'm saying is that I kind of liked it when you were around, and I didn't know why so I tried to get away. But then I couldn't sit still when you weren't there and really wanted you to be. I see your face in my dreams, and it annoys the shit out of me, so… I'm just saying… if you want to bug me again every now and then… I suppose it's okay."

That's so like Inuyasha, I could almost cry. In fact, I had to make myself stop before I really embarrassed myself. I stepped a little closer, my heart beating so hard I thought it would explode. "Can I… bug you for a date?"

His lips twitched. "I suppose."

I stepped a little closer, and whispered when I got _real_ close. "Can I… bug you for a hug? Just a little one?"

It was _he_ that reached out and wrapped his arms around _me_, and I heard and felt him breath out a shuddering sigh of relief, as if he wanted to do that for a very long time. "Yeah."

This was it. Our progress would be slow, maybe painful, but I think in the end it would be worth it. He doesn't remember everything, and I shouldn't have jumped at him with the expectation that he would. I felt his hand run down my hair, heard him breath in deep, and then I laid my head on Inuyasha's chest and listened to one sound in the world I will never grow tired of:

Inuyasha's heart, beating next to mine.

--

That's the end folks. What do you think? Please remember to review and let me know!

Luna


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